Authority comes from context. It comes from a particular setting and meets a particular need. Each of these authorities are evaluated the user to determine if it can be believed or used with confidence.
- A scholar speaks out of an academic discipline, with its own rules & methods. (Article in peer-reviewed journal)
- An official speaks out of the authority provided by their position. (A FEMA official's statement on Hurricane Sandy)
- An observer speaks from experience. (Tweet from person in Fergurson, Ohio in the middle of the Fergurson unrest)
Here are some basic criteria for evaulating sources. These can also be broken down into the "Who, What, Where, When and Why" that many students are familiar with.
The criteria are similar for evaulating website as well. Check out these techniques for critiquing a webpage from UC Berkeley.
Questions to ask
What to look for on a webpage
If you can't find any information about the author on the webpage, do another search to see if it is possible to identify the credentials of the author and /or organization.
What to look for in print material
If you can't verify that the information is authoritative, don't use it!
What does it mean for a source to be credible? Why is it important to use these sources? How can you tell if a source is credible? The following video provides ways that you can answer these questions.
Citation:
libnscu. "Evaluating Sources for Credibility." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 9 June 2015. Web. 10 October 2015.
Peer review or refereeing is the process journal editors use to ensure the articles they publish meet the standards of good scholarship. Academic papers, journal articles, research papers etc, are examined by a panel of other scholars in the field -the author's peers. The panel may decide to accept the paper, recommend revision or reject it completely.
Any resource that passes the peer-review process can be considered to have the highest level of academic credibility although, of course, you still need to consider other elements such as currency and coverage.
Not all journals use a peer review process. Some professors may specify that only peer-reviewed resources are to be used in assignments.
Searching for peer-reviewed articles in library databases
Some databases allow you to narrow your search to return only peer-reviewed results. This process differs from database to database and is often as easy as checking a box that says 'Peer-reviewed'.
Verifying peer-reviewed status of journals
You can verify the peer-reviewed status of a print journal issue by checking for information about the editorial board at the front of the journal. Information about print and e-journals is also available from the journal's website.
Don’t waste your time with information you can’t trust. Use this fast, easy way to evaluate information.
A is for Author
Sometimes it’s not easy to find author credentials. But if credibility is essential, take time to learn about the author.
Credentials can include: education, expertise, reputation, and other works by the author
S is for Sources
If there aren’t any sources, it’s not a research article. But it could still be credible. Popular sources (newspapers and magazines) rarely cite sources.
Look for other clues to determine the credibility.
A list of sources is a clue that the article is credible, and can also lead you to more information. You should also look at the quality of the sources and the number of sources.
A is for Age
Is the information the right age for your needs? Is it too old? How current is current enough? For information the answer is: it depends.
Rule of Thumb
5 years, maximum: medicine, health, technology, science
10-20 years: history, literature, art
P is for Publisher : Look for publisher credentials.
Journals, Magazines, Books
Look up the name of the publisher in a search engine to find the publisher. Do they publish other things on the same subject?
Websites
Examine the site for information about the publisher, or sponsor, of the site. Often in “About Us.”
Many publishers, especially university presses, specialize in academic titles. Examples:
Oxford University Press
University of Utah Press
Blackwell Publishers