As we mentioned in our article on finding credible sources online, evaluating whether or not a source is credible, and therefore usable, in your research paper, thesis, dissertation or other academic work is key to your paper’s success. There are several factors to consider:
Expert Author: The author should be an authority on the subject matter. The article will typically list the author’s academic degree and affiliate institution.
Author Objectivity: It should be clear that the author’s purpose is to inform, educate and explain. The author’s arguments should be support by properly cited facts from multiple sources.
Peer Reviews: The article should be reviewed by other experts in the author’s field of study. You can find peer-reviewed articles in scholarly journal databases such as InfoTrac and LexisNexis.
Reputable Scholarly Journal: The article you’re citing should appear in a university press, an academic press, or a peer-reviewed press.
Robust Bibliography: A credible source from a scholarly journal or database should contain a bibliography or references list that demonstrates the depth and breadth of the author’s research.
High-Quality Content: The author’s material should be clearly organized and relevant to the topic at hand. And of course, the article should be well written and free of grammatical and spelling errors.
9 thoughts on “How Do I Know if My Source Is Credible?”
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hi, my name is Olivia Shepard. i am a student that attend Germantown high school ,and i need help with my research paper . im in the 10th grade. i want to do my research paper on Beyonce. but how and where do i start .
Thank you.
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I am trying to a research paper on social network. Where can o get some good information
Recent exposure of falsified or non-peer reviewed scientific and medical papers published in such journals as Lancet and Journal of American Medicine (JAMA) has tarnished their reputation as credible sources. This is quite unfortunate and raises much concern for integral and reliable sources of qualified information.
That’s an ineuoings way of thinking about it.
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