Read and Response

Is It Credible?

Discovering which sources are reliable require more than simply looking at the domain of the website. Indications of intended audience, publication, and supporting evidence all play a part in evaluating credibility of website resources.

In order to determine if the writing is credible, it is important to establish the author’s credibility. Qualifications, background education on the topic, and associations all relate to the author’s accuracy and reliability.

Researching scholarly reviews on an author’s work is important as well. Although they are not necessary, it further credits the author on his or her reliability.

If a piece of writing contains a clear prejudice, the author may not be reliable. It is impossible to start from a completely neutral standpoint, but a credible author should attempt to include mainly pure evidence. Opinion articles would not be considered a credible source.

The date of publication should be up-to-date. Some subjects, especially in the area of science and politics, is subject to change frequently. A recent print publication, or a frequently updated website would be most reliable.

The type of website also affects the credibility of the content. It is impossible to generalize each type of website as reliable. It requires diligent research and practice in order to decipher the credibility of a website.