Locating the date of when a source was published can be helpful in determining how up-to-date the information is. The more recent the post, the more relevant it will likely be. However, this doesn’t always mean that the information is more accurate. Students should use other factors of this template—along with the date—to help them decide if the source is credible. 

If the author or organization of the source is reputable or trustworthy, then there is a good chance the information might be credible. When authors provide their name along with an organization in an article, blog post, or other publication, they are contributing to their reputation. Therefore, students should carefully consider whether or not the source is reliable by examining the author’s credentials, as well as the organization’s stature.

The method of collecting data is integral to a credible source. Look for details that suggest the act of data collection is humane. Examples can include—but are not limited to—making sure that animals were not harmed, subjects were not paid in exchange for enduring physical or emotional damage, or that the integrity of the data was not compromised. While these signs can often be difficult to find, students should still be on the lookout for them.

Sources that contain multiple perspectives are likely more credible than those that don’t. If we think about a beach ball, it takes all of the different colored stripes to form the whole ball. When sources only offer a single position—one stripe of the beach ball—it lacks a holistic view of the topic. Therefore, students should seek out sources that represent several stripes of the beach ball from different regions, cultures, and backgrounds when considering its credibility.

As data detectives, students should look for clues to determine if the source is meant to offer facts or opinions. Sometimes, sources will offer facts in order to justify an opinion, which can be confusing. A general “rule of thumb” is if a source is trying to make you feel a particular emotion—anger, joy, guilt, fear—then it is likely presenting an opinion. Encourage students to search for conclusive facts in sources that allow them to form their own opinions.

It seems like more than ever these days news sources have become increasingly unreliable as they often spin the accounts of events to fulfill their political agendas. These narratives are usually one-sided and aim to either affirm the beliefs of their followers, or sway the opinions of others. To navigate these political biases, students should aim to search for sources that provide both sides to a story in an attempt to remain objective and impartial.

With the exception of certain conditions under “fair use” students cannot simply find an image, video, or audio clip on the internet and use it for an assignment—even if they provide a full and accurate attribution to the copyright owner. However, some digital materials online have been published under Creative Commons (CC) licenses by creators that give others permission to reuse, modify, or augment their work. 

Every web page on the internet has a domain extension that designates the category or country code for its website (ie: .com, .org, .gov, .us). These extensions indicate whether the website is primarily used for intentions such as commercial use, philanthropic or non-profit missions, or official government information. Students should examine these domain extensions when searching for credible sources. However, it is also important to teach them that a particular extension does not automatically qualify—or disqualify—information as being reliable.