Evaluating information for accuracy and credibility is an important step of the research process. Credibility refers to the trustworthiness of a resource and can be informed by a variety of factors. When considering which information to use, you can ask yourself some simple questions to understand and evaluate the credibility of your options. This can help you make an informed choice on which article, book, or other resource to use.
Evaluating credibility for academic purposes may be new, but you likely have plenty of experience evaluating information for credibility in your daily life. Let's say you need information on financial aid options; who would you be more likely to trust, a staff member in the Financial Aid office on campus, or an anonymous post online? The questions below can help you apply these critical thinking skills to the evaluation of different kinds of information.
A few quick questions can help you evaluate the credibility of a possible source of information.
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Who? |
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What? |
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When? |
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