Credibility of Sources

Whether or not a source is trustworthy and believable.

Depends on who wrote it and how it was written.

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Credibility

Is the author or the organization a recognied expert on the topic?

What are the credentials of the author/organization?

A recognized authority will typically be cited by other writers in the same field

Qualifications & Reputation of the Author

• Consider the author's purpose and motivation.

• An academic journal will have a different goal than a political website or magazine.
  Inform vs. Persuade

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Circumstances in Which the Author Created the Source

Biased sources contain more opinions than facts

They present arguments in support of one position and ignore arguments that support the counter position

Identify the Perspective or Bias of the Author

A stereotype is a mistaken idea or belief many people have about a thing or group that is based upon how they look on the outside, which may be untrue or only partly true.

Stereotypical thinking implies overreaction to information that generates or confirms a stereotype, and underreaction to information that contradicts it.

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Stereotypes

Credible sources present information that can be verified by checking other sources

Internal consistency means sources should not present contradictory claims, information, or data within the source

Check additional sources to see if other trustworthy sources agree on main points and provide similar information and data

Accuracy and Internal Consistency