Evaluating Authority
Evaluating an information source's authority is the first important point to consider.
As you look at any information, identify who, or what organization, wrote or created the material. Whether an individual or organization is qualified to discuss the topic is an important starting point.
Then, consider the format: this will tell you what to look for as an authoritative source.
If it's a website - on what type of domain is it hosted? For example, is it a .com, .org, .edu, .gov, or something else?
- .com websites are available to anybody through web hosting companies like GoDaddy.com, MyDomain.com, and Register.com - these sites need to be carefully considered and evaluated, because they could be sharing incorrect information!
- .org websites were originally intended just for non-profit organizations and were maintained through the Public Interest Registry, but now anyone can get a .org domain name. Generally, .org websites represent a position and aren't neutral, and some for-profit organizations now maintain .org domain names to mislead the public about their mission or goals. Carefully evaluate the information you find at .org websites - while UNICEF.org may be a useful site for information on worldwide child health initiatives, this blog of vegan recipes is also a .org site. Not exactly the same kind of information presented across this site type!
- .edu generally indicates a college or university website. Before 2001, anyone could register for a .edu domain, and while many non-educational websites have been purged from the .edu domain list since 2003, some still exist - so, be careful.
- .gov websites are reserved for US government websites, and are great for statistical purposes. For instance, the Energy Information Administration provides statistical research on energy use and price forecasting.
If it's an article - in what format was it published? Is it from a scholarly journal, trade publication, consumer magazine, or newspaper?
- Scholarly journal articles are generally written by academic faculty members or researchers and are created to educate others or share original research. These kinds of articles are generally of considerable length and always have reference lists. An example of a scholarly journal is the Journal of Marriage and Family.
- Trade publication articles are written by practitioners in the field for other practitioners in the field, and these articles are meant to provide practical information about current professional trends. These generally don't have a reference list, or include just a few references. An example of a trade publication is Michigan Nurse.
- Consumer or popular publication articles are written by journalists who aren't necessarily topic experts - these kinds of works are meant to entertain, inform, and above all, sell magazines. Any sources cited are just through in-text mentions and not in a reference list. An example of a consumer publication is Time magazine.
- Newspaper articles are also written by journalists and are intended to inform the public about current events. In these articles, sources are also cited in the text. An example of a newspaper is the Washington Post.
