Credibility Checklist

Use the checklist below to evaluate the credibility of sources that you are considering
using.

Currency: the timeliness of the information

 Was the source published recently? (Within the last ten years is generally
considered recent)
 Has the information been revised or updated?
 Does your topic require current information, or will older sources work as well?

Relevance: the importance of the information for your needs

 Does the information relate to the topic of your assignment?

Authority: the source of the information

 Was the source written by individual author/s, or by an organisation?
 If the source was written by individual author/s, look for any information that is
provided about them in the source – this will usually be at the start or the end of
the source. And search the name of the author/s on Google.
When looking for information about author/s, ask yourself:
- What is their occupation?
- Where do they work? Where else have they worked?
- What are their qualifications?
- Do they have any organizational affiliations?
 If the source was written by an organisation, search Google for information
about it. Ask yourself:
- What is the main purpose of the organisation?
- Is it a for-profit or non-profit organisation?
- Does it seem to have expertise in the area which you are researching?

Accuracy: the reliability and correctness of the information

 Has the source been peer-reviewed?
 Does the source contain a reference list? If so, how many references are there?
 Has the source been cited by other authors? If so, how many times?
 Is the source written using academic language, and is it free or spelling and
grammatical errors?
 Does the language or tone seem unbiased and free of emotion?
Purpose: the reason the information exists

 What is the main purpose of the information? Is it to inform, to sell, to entertain,

or to persuade?
 Is the information factual or based on opinion (or both)?
 Does the author appear objective and impartial?
 Do there appear to be any political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional,
or personal biases?