What is Credibility?

Credibility of a source is what makes the information usable and dependable for research purposes. A credible source is one that can be trusted to serve as good information and tends to have several qualities.

Author

The author of an article or other source is important in determining credibility. When examining a printed or online source, it’s helpful to know something about the author. A few good areas to look at regarding the author(s) experience may include: author(s) background, author(s) degree, and/or experience in conducting extensive research in the subject area.

Currency

Whether or not a source is current is extremely important, especially in fields of study that require current research to be effective. A general rule of thumb is that a source be within the past seven years. However, if a student is writing about a field such as information technology or nursing (there are others), sources may need to be more current. In contrast, if a student is writing about the history of a topic, it may be that the information does not need to be current.

Writing Style

Writing style matters. When an author does not pay attention to grammar and/or spelling, it can be a bad sign. Credible sources tend to have authors who check grammar, check spelling, and write in an organized and easy-to-understand way. Additionally, the language used should be fair (lack bias). For example, saying “demonstrators” versus “protestors” makes a difference. One is more bias than the other.

Sources

Make no mistake! A website that doesn’t use sources may not be credible. Researchers should be mindful of sources being used or not used. An author should also be using credible sources. Sources may be listed at the end of an article/source or they may appear as links in online information.

Author of this article: Jackie Gibbons (College English Instructor & Writer)/Sources include the following:

Other sources are available upon request.

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Published by Education Universe

The founders of Education Universe have been writing and editing content for business websites, education facilities, and individuals for over ten years. Jackie Jones currently has a Master of Arts in Education (MAE) with an emphasis on education and English from Western Kentucky University (WKU) and Morehead State University, respectively. Jackie also attended the doctoral program at WKU, which was focused on organizational leadership, so she is well-versed in education. Jackie's background in education, including curriculum development, information technology, writing, and editing services (for individuals and businesses), combined with her professional and caring attitude is the reason that people work with her. Jackie is building her "Writing Made Easy" Youtube channel to help support high school and college-level writers. Other contractors help with tutoring, writing, editing, and contributing to educational information on the Education Universe website. The people at Education Universe believe in serving others in a way that will empower them to pursue great things in life and that a great mentor can make all the difference. To contact us, use our contact page.

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