DETERMINING CREDIBILITY OF A PRINT SOURCE
Introduction
Before embarking on writing a paper or an article, one has to do extensive research. According to the Oxford dictionary, research is “a systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources to establish facts and read the new conclusion. This involves gathering facts and information from different sources such as print and online. In the case of academic writing, these sources should be credible in that the information they provide is accurate and verifiable (Academia research, 2016). One such cause of research is print sources. These are sources that are printed on paper such as scholarly journals, academic books and even popular magazines. It is therefore essential to have established ways that can be used to determine the credibility of print sources as using non-verifiable can lead to being discredited. The following steps should be taken when determining the reliability of a print source.
Determine Timeliness of the Publication
Depending on the research topic, print sources should contain up-to-date information. It is recommended that the date of publication should be within the last ten years (University Writing Center, 2013). However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For instance, when researching a relatively past topic like the Great Depression of 1939, it can be feasible to use print sources such as magazine articles dating back to that time. It is also acceptable to use primary sources of information dating back more than ten years. Generally, it is advisable to use up-to-date sources of print information whenever possible.
Determine the Authority of the Author
Another step that should be taken when determining the credibility of a print source is checking the reputation and credentials of the author in the associated field. It is a well-established fact most credible sources of print information are written by well-known and respected authors (Smith-Worthington & Jefferson, 2018). For example, when determining credibility on a topic such as astrophysics, a reputable author such as Stephen Hawking is considered to be more credible in the field as compared to Maya Angelou. Apart from distinguished authors, examining the credibility of the publisher can also aid in determining the likelihood of print information. The print should also be appropriately referenced. These references should also undergo a thorough evaluation to determine their credibility.
Determine the Target Audience and Intended Purpose
Evaluating the intended audience of a publication is another way of determining the credibility of a print source (Brock University Library, 2020 ). Advertisements target difference audiences of different age and from different walks of life. For instance, publications that focus academic scholars and researchers in a particular field are considered to be more credible than print sources that are meant for the general readers.
Evaluating the purpose of a publication can be yet another step in determining the credibility of print as a form of information. Due to the wide variety of print publication, they are an effective means of conveying information suited for different needs and purposes. For example, a print source such as a scholarly journal is more credible from this perspective when compared to publications that are intended to entertain, such as fashion magazines.
Determine Objectivity and Bias in the publication
This is another criterion that can be used in determining the credibility of print sources. Using this criterion, one has to learn whether the author of the publication uses facts to supports his claims instead of using opinions. The affiliations of the author should also be thoroughly examined. This helps to establish whether the author is trying to convey information that leans towards some political or social agenda that affect the objectivity of the publication (Burkhardt, McDonald, & Rathemacner, 2003). It is also imperative that the notification should not contain advertisements that are usually associated with commercial magazines.
Determine the Accuracy and Reliability of publication
To determine the credibility of a publication, the accuracy of the content as well as the reliability has to be taken into account. First and foremost, the publication has to contain sufficient references to the original source where the information was retrieved from. These references should promptly be examined to ensure that they conform to the criteria discussed in this paper. Every claim made by the author should be supported by reliable evidence to ensure to ensure accuracy. Secondly, figures and facts that are stated in the publication should be able to be verified from another source. In any case the print source contains data that was originally researched the author, the methodology used in collecting the data should be explicitly stated so that it can be reproduced by peers in order to verify its validity. For instance, if a publication contains responses from a questionnaire, the questionnaire should be included in the appendix. The methods of data analysis used to arrive to the stated conclusions must be stated so that other interested parties can verify it conforms to the established statistical methods (Booth, Colomb, Williams, Bizup, & Fitzgerald, 2017).
ONLINE SOURCES
The steps in determining the credibility of online sources differs from that of publications. For instance, in determining the credibility of the author in a publication, the author’s affiliations and credentials were examined. In online sources, the credibility is determined by the domain name from the URL. Websites with .edu, .ac, .gov, .mil are generally known to be reliable sources as opposed to sites with .com, .org, .net as the domain suffix (Online Learning Library Center, 2020). Information retrieved from sites such as blogs and social networks should be scrutinized before being accepted as a credible source.
Whereas in publications, the reputation of the publication is considered, in online sources, information from reputable archives and databases is considered to be a credible source of information. For example, a publisher such as Cengage Learning is known to provide credible information. The equivalent of this would be a reputable academic archive database such as Journal Storage – JSTOR.
References
Academia research. (2016). Credible and Non-Credible Sourcees. Retrieved from Academia research: https://www.academia-research.com/freelance-writing/crediblenon-credible-sources/amp/
Booth, W., Colomb, G., Williams, J., Bizup, J., & Fitzgerald, W. (2017). The Craft of Research. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Brock University Library. (2020 , April 22). External Research Analysis: Evaluating Sources. Retrieved from Brock University Library: https://www.researchguidelines.library.brocku.ca/external-analysis
Burkhardt, J., McDonald, M., & Rathemacner, A. (2003). Teaching Information Literacy: 35 Practical Standard-based Exercises for College Students. Chicago: American Library Association.
Online Learning Library Center. (2020). Evaluating Internet Information. Retrieved from Online Learning Library Center: https://www.usg.edu/galileo/skills/unit07/internet07_08.phtml
Smith-Worthington, D., & Jefferson, S. (2018). Technical Writing For Success. Boston: Cengage Learning.
University Writing Center. (2013). Credible Vs Non Credible Sources. Retrieved from Babarrus: https://www.cabarrus.k12.nc.us/site/handlers/filedowload.ashx%3Fmoduleinstanceid%3D36124%26dataid%3D221898%26FileName%3DCredible%2520v%2520Non-Credible%2520Sources13.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjcivKWit7pAHUNA2MBHbu1D5sQFJAKegQIAxB&usg=AQvaw2ntdf1vj1eRLt6wwDzB3s