Source Credibility and Bias: A Writer's Best Friend

Why is it important for a writer to carefully evaluate a source's credibility? Some sources are simply more trustworthy than others, such as government, educational, and some non-profit groups are generally acceptable or trustworthy sources for an academic paper or any other form of writing. What must you, the writer, take into consideration when determining whether or not a source is credible? The main aspects that affect a writer's credibility are flagrant biases, the author's credentials, and how current the information is.

The first step to take when evaluating a source is to check the date. Is the information current? What held true a decade ago, or even yesterday in some cases, may not be valid today. As a writer, you do not want to support your work with information that is out of date; this will negatively affect your own credibility with your readers.

The second step is to validate the author. Does the author have the appropriate credentials to make the claim or statements? This is important! To give an example, suppose you are writing an article on Irritable Bowel Syndrome or some other health condition, using an expert in the specific field (a gastroenterologist-an internal medicine physician who specializes in disorders of the digestive system would be an appropriate expert for this example) would carry more weight with your reader than advice from your cousin or sister. Now this is not to say that your cousin's personal experiences would not have a place in an article of this nature, but it should not be your only source of information.

Next the source must be evaluated for biases. What is the author's bias, if any? Does the author present all sides of the subject, or just the one the author favors? Is the author trying to sell a product or have a personal interest in you buying into the information he or she presented? Additionally, does the author point out any flaws discovered in her or his research? Any bias that a source holds may not always be directly stated; sometimes it is implied by only presenting one side or viewpoint of a topic. You can determine whether a source is biased by thinking critically about the information heard or read, and remember that you cannot always believe what you hear or read.

Most sources or potential references contain biases; some biases may be in the form of a specific slant or point-of-view, but some biases may be author's lack of presenting both sides to an issue. Although it is not necessarily a bad thing for a writer to use a source that has biases, it is important to consider and evaluate any biases that the author has, as well as any biases that hold a different perspective.

It is important to consider a source's biases, credentials, and validity for many reasons, not the least of which is your own credibility. Using an obviously biased source, a source with no credentials to make claims or representations, or a source that has outdated information will affect the credibility you hold with your own readers. Not evaluating a source's credibility may cause your reader to call into question other sources that you have cited or other articles you have written.

Some people believe that the media controls the world; I feel this claim has merit. Many people do not question information reported on the news, because what would the media gain by exaggerating a story or only presenting one side? One must keep in mind that the media is run by ratings; sensational stories make for great ratings. This is where thinking critically can be your best ally. Even a seemingly impartial source could have a hidden agenda.

Reference

Kennedy, X. J., Kennedy, D. M., Muth, M. F., & Holladay, S. A. (2005). The Bedford guide for college writers (7^th ed.). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's.