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Critical Evaluation of Resources: Determining Credibility

Credibility

Credibility can help you decide whether or not to trust an information source.

You may want to consider the source's scope, currency, target audience, and more as you make your decision.

Credibility

You may want to consider the following as you evaluate a source:

Scope

  • Does the source provide a general overview of the topic?
  • Does the source focus on only one aspect of the topic?

Audience

  • Who is the source written for? University scholars, general public, high school students?
  • Is the material technical or clinical? What type of information do you need?

Currency

  • When was the source published?
  • If the source is a website, when was it last updated?
  • Do you need the most current information on your subject, or are older publications acceptable?

Identifying Bias