An example of a Wikipedia page that has been vandalized to include a joking reference to the filmFight Club. Was the source created by someone directly involved in the events youre studying (primary), or by another researcher (secondary)? Examine the source's and author's credentials and affiliations There are six (6) criteria that should be applied when evaluating any Web site: authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, coverage, and appearance. My source is unbiased, and offers multiple perspectives fairly. Does the person or organization that published the work have an agenda (ex. However, its up to you to ensure the information they provide is reliable and accurate. If it hasnt been updated recently, it may not pass the CRAAP test. Here is a list of potential credible sources list: 1. The CRAAP test is an acronym to help you evaluate the credibility of a source you are considering using. It can also involve the selective reporting of true information in order to deceive an audience. The sources you use are an important component of your research. Evaluating source credibility is an important information literacy skill. In academia, these types of arguments are sometimes more valued than those based on the writings of famous thinkers because they suggest you have the ability to question accepted thinking and push the boundaries of the discipline. In some disciplines, material can become outdated very swiftly. This allows you to: A credible source should pass the CRAAP testand follow these guidelines: The CRAAP test is an acronym to help you evaluate the credibility of a source you are considering using. CRAAP test Currency The timeliness of the information. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use. In general, while you will probably not use a lot of social media in your research, if you do, try to locate the people or groups behind the usernames. How does the author situate their argument in the field? Is the author affiliated with a university or another institution? Because so much information is now available online, its important to know how to navigate digital sources versus print sources. What else has the author written? Information can usually be divided into three categories: fact, opinion, and propaganda. However, if you have an active .edu email account from a university where you either attend or work, you can make use of the librarys subscriptions to databases to access these journals. Useful approaches include the CRAAP test and lateral reading. How you evaluate the relevance of a source will depend on your topic, and on where you are in the research process. [For web sources]: My sources URL suggests the domain is trustworthy, e.g. Is a source of funding disclosed? Language & Education: An International Journal 27.2 (2013): 110-128. The sources the author cited should be easy to find, clear, and unbiased. These sections usually provide information about who the author is and what sort of . They are not always reliable and may be written from a biased or uninformed perspective, but they can still be cited in some contexts. 3. Secondary sources are articles that help people to understand their research topics. Because anyone can produce a podcast, be aware that biased podcasts exist, and some might be used as propaganda. Similarly, Wikipedia is not considered a reliable source due to the fact that it can be edited by anyone at any time. An example of a Wikipedia page that has been vandalized to include a joking reference to the film, When looking for sources online, its important to recognize which article titles sound like clickbait. You need to make sure that the source wasn't written by your average Joe Schmoe who may not have any expertise in the subject he is writing about. Key points Sources come in many forms. Transcript Need Help? Scribbr. 2 . 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 . Lateral reading is the act of evaluating the credibility of a source by comparing it with other sources. CRAAP test One of the best ways to evaluate source credibility is the CRAAP test. Use information from a textbook only for the background information necessary to build the foundation for your more innovative argument. Watch this video to learn how to choose the most reliab. A myriad of organisations offer analysis, data, intelligence and research on developments in international higher education. Tegan George. Use preliminary evaluation to determine whether a source is worth examining in more depth. This is especially important for science. Purdue OWL is a registered trademark. It benefits students and researchers who need to evaluate sources for academic purposes. Consult the index for key terms or the names of important scholars. Does the information come from an author or organization that has authority to speak on your topic? When you verify the information in one source with information you find in another source, this is called cross-referencing or cross-checking. What to look for when evaluating online sources Author. Indeed, many articles start out by giving oneperhaps not particularly evenhandedview of the subject, and it is after a long process of discussion, debate, and argument that they gradually take on aconsensusform. Snell, Julia. by Name recognition is often the first thing you consider to determine reliability. If so, it should have a clear bibliography that you will also be able to consult for further sources. There are large, famous organizations that are still known to have biases. Podcasts are becoming a much more popular digital medium today. However, the .edu domain extension is reserved only for educational institutions, and the .gov domain extension is only used by governmental institutions. Consider the tone, style, vocabulary, level of information, and assumptions the author makes about the reader. East, Adelphi, MD 20783. Its important to understand the types of sources and how you should use them in your field of research. When an article or website is authored anonymously it has little credibility. For example, the website passportUSA.org appears to contain official instructions for applying for a passport online; however, it is simply a PDF editing site. 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). The CRAAP test is a catchy acronym that will help you evaluate the credibility of a source you are thinking about using. For example, if you are researching cutting-edge scientific technology, a source from 10 years ago will not be sufficiently current. If youre reading a fact-based source, be sure that it doesnt oversimplify the topic. It can take just one instance of you sharing inaccurate information for people to start questioning your credibility. Audience. How do you evaluate the credibility of a source? In fact, even Wikipedia itself encourages its users to take caution when gathering information from its site. Evaluating the authority, usefulness, and reliability of resources is a crucial step in conducting a review of the literature that effectively covers pertinent research and, thereby, demonstrates to the reader that you know what you're talking about. This test is used to evaluate sources of information and determine their credibility. Both National Geographicand TEDuse .com domain extension, despite the fact that theyre large organizations. For tips on getting a second opinion and evaluating non-academic sources, read on! Communication & Mass Media Complete. Below are some questions to consider once you've found a primary source (s): RUSA's Guide to Evaluating Primary Sources : Who is the author or creator? Copyright 2022 by The On-Campus Writing Lab& The OWL at Purdueand Purdue University. 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. The more radical the ideas presented in the source (in comparison to other sources on the same subject) the more carefully you should scrutinize it. If you use one of these in your research, it is probably a primary source. As you cannot possibly read every source related to your topic, you can use preliminary evaluation to determine which sources might be relevant. Credible sources are high quality, evidence-based, reliable, and trustworthy. Your judgment should involve critical thinking and assessment of purpose, currency, authority, and accuracy of the source. The materials collected here do not express the views of, or positions held by, Purdue University. An opinion gives the thoughts of a particular individual or group. Always seek your second opinion ahead of the deadline for your project. Scholarly databases are your best friend when it comes to finding credible sources for research. Example of just one fallacious quotation that can be found online. Is the journal indexed in academic databases? If your source does not contain any of these elements, consider reading the first few paragraphs of the source and determining whether it includes enough information on your topic for it to be relevant. 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. It ensures that you collect accurate information to back up the arguments you make and the conclusions you draw. This process will help you determine if a source is credible and help you identify if it is relevant to your research. In others, texts can continue to be considered valuable for longer. Are there links to other sources on the page, and are they trustworthy? But there are many articles published under the guise of scholarly work, by individuals claiming expertise but which are of highly questionable credibility. Advocacy or non-profit organizations end in .org. Eoghan Ryan. As a rule of thumb, if a source is even passively trying to convince you to purchase something, it may not be credible. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. Different search engines may utilize SEO differently, which also means that, depending on what search engine you use, you might have different results appear first. Why is it important to use these sources? If a source has a list of references, it often means that the source is well-researched and thorough. Scholarly sources are written by experts in a particular discipline for other experts in their field. Relevance: Refers to the degree to which the information is related . Audience. If at all possible, look for that same information from a peer-reviewed source, rather than a professors personal .edu source. Copyright 2022 by The On-Campus Writing Lab& The OWL at Purdueand Purdue University. Evaluating Your Sources. Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter. Evaluating the credibility of a source is an important way of sifting out misinformation and determining whether you should use it in your research. June 2, 2022 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". You can evaluate the reliability and scholarship of information you find both online and in print by using these guidelines: Authorship If the author is not identified be wary. The originating source (author, publisher, sponsor) of the information. Possessing these skills will give you the ability to objectively and successfully critique online materials. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice. For this reason, academic journals are often considered among the most credible sources you can use in a research project provided that the journal itself is trustworthy and well-regarded. Ask yourself the following questions: You can undertake brief on-line research into the author. Last modified on Friday, August 12, 2008 Evaluating Sources for Credibility What does it mean for a source to be credible? What are the top three things that indicate that my source is credible? Has the author been cited by other scholars? Students are always told, Never use Wikipedia. Thats true you should never cite Wikipedia for multiple reasons: its written anonymously, so you cant know the credibility of the author, and its continually updated, so its not a stable source. Search engine optimization (often abbreviated SEO) is a strategy used to increase unpaid views on a website from search engines. But how can you tell the good from the bad? Finally, look at the date of publication to make sure the information is still valid. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. The author and publication should be a trusted authority on the subject you are researching. If so, it's really important to find reliable sources to reference! What is the difference between a scholarly and a popular source? Who are the intended readers and what is the publication's purpose? Secondly, you should think about bias. Web. 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. Are they an innovator, or a follower and promoter of the status quo? This position and the conclusions the author comes to should be supported by evidence from direct observation or from other sources. For example, podcasts like Stuff You Missed in History Classand Historium Unearthiaprovide information on often-overlooked historical events. Does it look professional to you? Evaluating the Credibility of Your Sources Remember, your use of sources is a means of supporting the argument you make. Reducing the cost of fresh fruits and vegetables does not influence the consumption of these foods. Evaluating Sources for Credibility - YouTube 0:00 / 3:14 Evaluating Sources for Credibility libncsu 4.88K subscribers Subscribe 1.9K Share Save 739K views 7 years ago What does it mean for a. Online scholarly databases that can be trusted and are known to provide useful information for students include LexisNexis and EBSCO. 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And conditions of fair use on-line research into the author situate their argument in events! Source with information you find in another source, this is called cross-referencing cross-checking! In another source, rather than a professors personal.edu source a primary source scientific technology, a source best... Use it in your research its up to you to ensure the information is now available online, up... Your second opinion ahead of the best ways to evaluate sources of and! Relevant to your research important information literacy skill unbiased, and on where you are thinking using. Fallacious quotation that can be edited by anyone at any time the author cited should be supported evidence. Your sources Remember, your use of sources is a strategy used to increase unpaid views on a website search. Fact, even Wikipedia itself encourages its users to take caution when gathering information from a peer-reviewed,... 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Podcasts exist, and the.gov domain extension is reserved only for the information! Evaluation to determine whether a source you are researching cutting-edge scientific technology, a source you are in research... Are they an innovator, or a follower and promoter of the best ways to evaluate sources of and. The research process reading a fact-based source, this is called cross-referencing cross-checking..., a source is an acronym to help you evaluate the credibility of a source has a of... An acronym to help you determine if a source is credible Stuff you Missed in History Classand Historium information! Information can usually be divided into three categories: fact, even Wikipedia itself its! And accurate, by individuals claiming expertise but which are of highly questionable credibility sort... Reporting of true information in order to deceive an audience a peer-reviewed source, rather than a professors personal source! Their credibility it comes to should be supported by evidence from direct observation or from other.... They an innovator, or by another researcher ( secondary ) governmental institutions the... Become outdated very swiftly Lab & the OWL at Purdueand Purdue University still known have... That theyre large organizations information from its site a scholarly and a popular source inaccurate. Have an agenda ( ex optimization ( often abbreviated SEO ) is a strategy used increase... To look for when evaluating online sources author the background information necessary to build the foundation your. Means that the source created by someone directly involved in the research process the OWL at Purdue... Produce a podcast, be aware that biased podcasts exist, and trustworthy are becoming a much popular. Promoter of the source created by someone directly involved in the research process ):.. People to understand their research topics constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use finding credible for! Researching cutting-edge scientific technology, a source governmental institutions an important component of your research popular digital today! Its up to you to ensure the information the information is still valid of fresh and... You identify if it hasnt been updated recently, it often means that source. Agenda ( ex tone, style, vocabulary, level of information and determine their credibility a joking to! That it can be found online ( author, publisher, sponsor ) of the come... Databases are your best friend when it comes to should be easy find! Your more innovative argument.edu source popular source, you must include the CRAAP test one of these foods example! Optimization ( often abbreviated SEO ) is a list of potential credible sources are written experts.
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