What does it mean for a source to be credible? Discusses author/publisher expertise, bias, peer review, currency, and how you’ll use it.
Used with permission from the NCSU Libraries.
Students often struggle to identify what makes a source scholarly or peer-reviewed. Consider bringing copies of scholarly journals and books to class, or use a reading from your syllabus as an example. Ask students to identify the features that make a source scholarly or peer-reviewed. (Examples: credibility of author and/or publisher, evidence of sources, language is written for other scholars, has an editorial board and outline of editorial process [for journals], etc.). If you've had students using examples of inappropriate sources in the past, use these as examples and talk about them together.
