Introduction
When conducting academic research on different websites, one encounters vast information from various sources. It is not easy to decide which source is credible or not. Thus, is logical to determine the credibility of these sources before utilizing them in academic research. The criteria for evaluating source credibility include relevancy, authority, accuracy, and purpose.
Relevancy
Relevancy is vital when doing any research; the reader should determine the applicability of the source to their project. The source chosen must be relevant to the research topic (“Evaluating the Credibility”). If the source is irrelevant, it should not be used in the research since it can result in poor work which does not meet the quality requirements. Relevance is the first step in checking if the source is credible.
Authority
A source’s authority mirrors its credibility; however, this may not always be the case. The reader should determine the source’s creator, publisher, and author. Additionally, they should check if contact information is available (“Evaluating the Credibility”). For instance, a magazine with a primary concentration on fashion design might be considered authoritative in this department, but not necessarily in art history.
Accuracy
When assessing a source’s credibility, it is essential first to establish whether or not it is accurate in terms of the information it contains. The reader should determine the source’s truthfulness, reliability, and correctness based on the content provided (“Evaluating the Credibility”). Reading as much as necessary about a topic before creating an opinion may help with accuracy and determination.
Purpose
This section entails examining reasons why the information was published. It is imperative to know whether it is for entertainment or academic reasons. Additionally, one should know how the author’s affiliation affects the slant of the point of view of the source (“Evaluating the Credibility”). Learning why a source delivers information is the last stage in evaluating its reliability. The content might not be accurate, leading to a poor research paper.
Conclusion
The source used in this discussion is highly credible since it meets the four factors discussed: relevancy, authority, accuracy, and purpose. It is relevant since it explains the various methods used to determine if a source is credible. The source was published by Columbia University to help students learn how to evaluate source credibility. Thus, it is credible in terms of authority, and its information is accurate and reliable and meets its purpose successfully.
Work Cited
“Evaluating the Credibility of Your Sources.” Columbia College and Columbia Engineering, 2022. Web.