Criteria for Determining the Credibility of Information Sources

Learning Objectives

Describe techniques used in decision-making.
Examine decision-making models.
Apply decision-making techniques.

Prompt

What criteria do you recommend to determine the credibility of a source of information?

Instructions

Develop a list of more than and no less than 10 elements you would use to determine the credibility of facts, articles, websites, news, etc.
Thoroughly explain your reason for each element and why it is important
Your response can take the form of a table in Word or MS Excel.
Include at least 4 credible references to support your recommendations

Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!

Quick roadmap — what to hand in

A short intro statement (1–2 lines) confirming you will present 11–12 credibility elements (instructors often require “more than 10”).
A clear table (or numbered list) with each element, a plain-language definition, a brief rationale (why it matters), and a simple “how to check” action.
At least 4 credible references in APA format supporting your choices.
A 1-paragraph conclusion with a one-line checklist for quick source screening.

Table: 12 Elements to Determine Credibility

Use this table as the core of your submission (copy/paste into Word or Excel).

#	Element	What it is (short)	Why it matters (rationale)	How to check (practical step)
1	Authority / Expertise	The author’s qualifications, institutional affiliation, and subject-matter credentials.	Experts tend to know the subject and are less likely to make factual errors; credentials help you assess domain knowledge.	Look for author bio, academic degrees, ORCID, university/hospital affiliation, or LinkedIn profile.
2	Publication Venue / Peer Review	Where it was published (peer-reviewed journal, reputable press, government site).	Peer review and reputable publishers provide editorial and scholarly oversight—reducing error and bias.	Verify journal name, check if it is peer-reviewed, or confirm publisher reputation (e.g., university press, CDC, WHO).
3	Currency / Timeliness	How recent the content and/or data are.	In many fields (health, tech, policy) old data can be misleading; currency ensures relevance.	Check publication date and “last updated” notes; prefer newer sources for rapidly evolving topics.
4	Methodological Transparency	For research: clear description of methods, sample, measures, and limitations.	Transparent methods allow you to judge validity, reliability, and generalizability of findings.	Look for a “methods” section, sample size, measures, and stated limitations.
5	Accuracy & Evidence	Presence of data, citations, primary sources, and verifiable facts.	Claims backed by data and references can be independently verified and are less likely to be opinion.	Follow citations, check sources (DOIs), and verify data against original reports/datasets.
6	Objectivity / Purpose / Funding Disclosure	Whether the content is informational vs. persuasive and who funded it.	Funding or advocacy goals can introduce bias; transparency about purpose helps interpret claims.	Look for funding/disclosure statements, “about” page, and language that suggests advocacy or sales intent.
7	Corroboration / Consistency	Agreement of the claim with other independent credible sources.	Independent corroboration reduces the likelihood of error or isolated bias.	Cross-check claims with multiple reputable sources (peer-reviewed articles, official statistics).
8	References & Documentation	Quality and breadth of bibliographic citations (primary literature, official reports).	Good references show the claim is built on existing evidence rather than opinion.	Scan reference list for peer-reviewed journals, DOIs, official data (e.g., WHO, CDC).
9	Audience & Intended Use	Who the content targets (scholars, public, consumers) and for what purpose.	Tailoring matters: marketing sites are not appropriate for scholarly decision-making.	Assess language, depth, and stated audience (e.g., “for clinicians” vs. “for consumers”).
10	Editorial Standards & Corrections Policy	Whether the publisher has fact-checking, editorial oversight, and corrections.	Editorial oversight increases reliability and provides mechanisms to fix errors.	Check for editorial policies, correction/errata pages, and contact information.
11	Design & Presentation Quality	Professional layout, functional links, few typos, minimal intrusive ads.	Sloppy design or rampant errors often indicate weak editorial control and lower reliability.	Scan for typos, broken links, excessive ads, and inconsistent formatting.
12	Transparency about Data & Conflicts of Interest	Disclosure of data provenance, raw data availability, and conflicts of interest.	Knowing data origins and potential conflicts helps you evaluate bias and analytic integrity.	Look for data repositories, supplemental files, and COI/funding statements.

Why these elements and how to apply them (decision-making technique)

Tier your checks for speed and rigor: First scan Authority, Venue, Currency and Purpose. If these pass, dig into Methods, Evidence, and References. Finally, corroborate with independent sources and check editorial quality. This tiered filter balances speed with rigor for real-world decisions.
Use mixed indicators: No single element proves credibility—combine indicators (e.g., peer review + method detail + corroboration = high confidence).
Document your judgment: When making decisions, note which checks you used and why—this creates an audit trail for accountability.

Short, portable checklist (carry this in your head)

Who wrote it and where was it published?
Is it recent enough for the topic?
Does it show methods/data and cite sources?
Is the purpose declared and are funding/conflicts disclosed?
Do other credible sources corroborate it?

References (APA 7th ed.) — minimum 4 credible sources

Association of College & Research Libraries. (2016). Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/ilframework
Flanagin, A. J., & Metzger, M. J. (2007). The role of site features, user attributes, and information verification behaviors on the perceived credibility of Web-based information. New Media & Society, 9(2), 319–342.
Metzger, M. J. (2007). Making sense of credibility on the Web: Models for evaluating online information and recommendations for future research. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 58(13), 2078–2091.
Tandoc, E. C., Lim, Z. W., & Ling, R. (2018). Defining “fake news”: A typology of scholarly definitions. Digital Journalism, 6(2), 137–153.
Eysenbach, G., Powell, J., Kuss, O., & Sa, E. (2002). Empirical studies assessing the quality of health information for consumers on the World Wide Web: A systematic review. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 4(2), e8.

Helpful resource links (useful for assignment support)

Purdue OWL — Evaluating Sources & APA: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html
MedlinePlus — Evaluating Internet Health Information: https://medlineplus.gov/evaluatinghealthinformation.html
ACRL Framework: http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/ilframework

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