Podcasts are becoming a much more popular digital medium today. Evaluating Sources for Credibility What does it mean for a source to be credible? Because anyone can produce a podcast, be aware that biased podcasts exist, and some might be used as propaganda. Does the information come from an author or organization that has authority to speak on your topic? Be sure they have a Creative Commons license allowing them to be duplicated and shared, and meet the CRAAP test criteria, especially in the authority section. However, despite the many credible digital sources available today, there are still many unreliable sources available on the internet. Open Educational Resources, or OERs, are materials that have been licensed for free use in educational settings. A high number of Cited By results can often be a measurement of credibility. Course ReservesLibrary materials reserved for your classes. The information should be up-to-date and current. Objective language is more commonly found in fact-based sources, while emotional language is more likely to be found in opinion-based sources and propaganda. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use. Yes to scholarly databases. A good argument should be based on analysis and critique, and there should be a logical relationship between evidence and conclusions. 4) Coverage. It should be evident who created the content. Scholarly books will provide an extensive list of references to bolster their academic credibility, whereas non-scholarly books often make claims without any credible referential support. Evaluation of a source's credibility is a complex process that requires critical thinking and reading. If a bibliographic citation seems promising, it's a good idea to spend a bit more time with the source before you determine its credibility. If the source appears to represent an opinion, does the author offer legitimate reasons for adopting that stance? Do they have credible work or study experience? Evaluating Internet Resources Unlike similar information found in newspapers or television broadcasts, information available on the Internet is not regulated for quality or accuracy; therefore, it is particularly important for the individual Internet user to evaluate the resource or information. These will give you a clear idea of the authors intentions, the parameters of the research, and even the conclusions they draw. Likewise, if you are searching for information about what restaurant to go to tonight, it's important to use current information. They are written to inform, not entertain, and assume a high level of previous knowledge because they are written specifically to people who have a vested professional interest in technical information relevant to their specialization. Transcript Need Help? This position and the conclusions the author comes to should be supported by evidence from direct observation or from other sources. For tips on getting a second opinion and evaluating non-academic sources, read on! How does the author situate their argument in the field? Note for Purdue Students: Schedule a consultation at the on-campus writing lab to get more in-depth writing help from one of our tutors. [For web sources]: The layout of my source is professional and recently updated. Always seek your second opinion ahead of the deadline for your project. Eoghan Ryan. Is it a respected publication? A few of the most common social media platforms are Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, Tumblr, and Instagram. Is the field currently dominated by particular theories or. These highly personal and subjective sources are seldom reliable enough to stand on their own in your final research product. My source is relevant to my research topic. If the opinion feels one-sided, does the author acknowledge opposing viewpoints? The Purdue OWL is clearly the only safe choice for student writers. When writing a research paper, always use and cite credible sources. December 7, 2022. In order for a source to be included in a database, it usually must go through a screening process that requires individuals to verify the information in the text. Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter. ACRL Framework: Authority is Constructed and Contextual Even if the individual claim is true, the way it is presented helps the author tell a much larger lie. Podcasts are essentially audio files that can be streamed on a computer or mobile device, like portable radio. Who are the intended readers and what is the publication's purpose? Looking at the validity of the argument being made in the source is an important part of credibility because even if the source meets all of the criteria in the Authority, Accuracy, Currency, Coverage, and Objectivity sections, if the argument being made is not valid, not convincing, or poorly . Search engine optimization (often abbreviated SEO) is a strategy used to increase unpaid views on a website from search engines. Others may become caught up in a heavily unbalanced viewpoint and can take some timemonths perhapsto regain a better-balanced consensus (see Researching with Wikipedia). When examining online news articles, find out what you can about the organization behind the articles. They are usually part of a series or follow a theme. It is more appropriate to compare something to an objective standard than to label it with words that represent abstract concepts for example, "these and other illegal acts" is preferable to "these and other despicable acts". Some personal websites exist solely to spread propaganda or other biased information. Propaganda is the (usually biased) spreading of information for a specific person, group, event, or cause. Relevance. The sources you use are an important component of your research. 4.6. (2022, December 07). To effectively evaluate online materials, you must be able to do proper speed reading and skimming of content, as well as citing references. This process will help you determine if a source is credible and help you identify if it is relevant to your research. How does the website look and feel? from https://www.scribbr.com/working-with-sources/credible-sources/, What Are Credible Sources & How to Spot Them | Examples. What to look for when evaluating online sources Author. As you cannot possibly read every source related to your topic, its important to evaluate sources to assess their relevance. A fact is something that is known to be true. When looking for online sources, using a database helps you find credible information. Snell, Julia. What about the news? For tips on getting a second opinion and evaluating non-academic sources, read on! Use credible research sources to strengthen your arguments. As you examine each source, it is important to evaluate each source to determine the quality of the information provided within it. Finding the authors educational background and areas of expertise will help determine whether the author has experience in what theyre writing about. % of people told us that this article helped them. Most clickbait articles want to shock the reader, so be aware of words like surprising, alarming, and shockingin titles. Non-scholarly books might deal with scholarly subject matter sociology, for example, or politics. For these reasons, they are typically considered credible sources. Teen Tech University. What is the difference between a scholarly and a popular source? The credibility of an author is very important in determining the quality of sources you have located and are thinking of using for your research project. For example, critical theorist Slavoj ieks reputation and credibility has been significantly damaged after a 2014 accusation of plagiarism. Is the author affiliated with a university or another institution? Relevance: Refers to the degree to which the information is related . There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Is the source twenty years out of date? In others, texts can continue to be considered valuable for longer. Evaluating source credibility is an important information literacy skill. Purdue OWL is a registered trademark. Petersen, Alexander Michael, et al. Let us discuss each criterion in detail. Do they benefit financially by promoting a particular view? Many people have personal websites, such as blogs, that are not associated with a larger group or organization. Research 101: Credibility is contextual Students recognize that credibility may vary by context and information need. Websites are not subject to the peer-review and editing process that academic journals or books go through, and can be published by anyone at any time. Educational resources end in .edu, and are generally considered the most credible in academic settings. How can you tell if a source is primary or secondary? Both National Geographicand TEDuse .com domain extension, despite the fact that theyre large organizations. 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