Are their credentials listed? Additionally, check the date of publication. As you find information, try to verify its authenticity and legitimacy using other reliable sites.
If you find another credible site that contradicts your original source, further research may be required. Wikipedia offers a large volume of information, but because its entries are created in a collaborative effort involving many different users, its reliability can vary widely. In some cases, users deliberately place incorrect information on the site; in others, well-meaning users unintentionally introduce inaccuracies.
For these reasons, you can use Wikipedia as a jumping-off point to spark more research, but not as a source on its own. Is it related directly to the topic it discusses? Does it provide sources for supporting ideas? Are these sources reliable? Is the purpose of the information to inform, to persuade, to sell, or even to entertain?
Has the information been written and published recently? Does a date of publication appear? Finally, who is responsible for the information? Is an author or publisher listed at all? Some topics such as medical research and new technical information must be up-to-date to be valuable to readers. However, bias and opinion compromise even recent information, keeping it from being objective and trustworthy. Certainly, any organization or individual is entitled to a perspective.
Likewise, some organizations, particularly companies who want sales or politicians who want votes, want readers to agree with their views. Few advertisements present credible supporting information for the positions they present!
For example, consider material posted on the Web with a. How much factual information about the automobile will appear? Will be the purpose of the posted information be to inform readers about the specific features of the new model or to urge them to buy? In what ways do language and graphics bias readers about the new car? If you read an article from The Onion, the humorous satire of current events, can you trust the supposedly actual information the article presents?
Are you supposed to? The Onion wants readers to laugh, not to learn. Many Web pages are published anonymously by individuals. Look for the criteria below when searching for the facts. Web browsers and social media sites employ algorithms that feed you information you've shown a preference for. This so called "filter bubble" connects us to news that tends to reinforce our set views, rather than challenging us with new ideas.
When conducting research for class or simply making up your mind on an issue, try these strategies:. Thanks to the following excellent guides on which we've drawn for part of the above content: Bristol Community College and Stark State Digital Library. E-Mail Us Hours. Tell us how we're doing. Is My Source Credible?
Articles The definition of a credible source can change depending on the discipline, but in general, for academic writing, a credible source is one that is unbiased and is backed up with evidence.
Use this checklist to determine if an article is credible or not: Is the source in-depth more than a page or two , with an abstract, a reference list, and documented research or data?
Who is the audience researchers, professors, students, general population, professionals in a specific field? What is the purpose of the source provide information or report original research or experiments, to entertain or persuade the general public, or provide news or information specific to a trade or industry? Who are the authors? Are they respected and well-known in the field? Are they easily identifiable? Have they written about other similar topics? What are their credentials?
Is the source reputable?
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