Answered By: Jennifer Harris Last Updated: Sep 12, 2018 Views: 1078
Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines the word credible as "offering reasonable grounds for being believed." A credible source, then, is one that you can reasonably believe to be true.
You can use the following five criteria to help you determine if the source offers those "reasonable grounds" for credibility:
- Currency: Is the content presented current enough for your project?
- Relevancy: Does it answer your question or contribute to your research?
- Accuracy: Is the information provided correct?
- Authority: Does the author have expertise on the topic about which he/she is writing?
- Purpose or Objectivity: Is there bias or a slant given to the information provided?
For more information on evaluating sources, check out our Evaluating Sources research guide.
You may also want to consider:
- How do I evaluate a website?
- How do I evaluate a source to determine if it’s appropriate to use for my assignment?
- How do I find a good website?
References
Credible. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/credible
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