How can you know whether you’re looking at a reliable source?
One useful way is to use the questions
Who? / What? / Where? / When? / Why?
Who is responsible for this source?
- Remember that anything written within the source is what the authors want you to believe about them.
- Who wrote this information? Is there an organisation or a name attached? What can you discover about the source or authors from elsewhere?
- Does the writer provide any evidence of who they are? Can that evidence be proved e.g. other websites, email addresses you could follow up?
- Is the source funded by another organisation? What can you discover about them?
- Are the writers or publishers experts on this subject?
- Look at the URL: does the domain name tell you anything? (Remember that websites usually select select their own domains).
What sort of source is it?
- Visual e.g. photographs, pictures. Could the source have been altered to add something or remove something?
- Graphs? Does the source tell the full story or only part of it?
- Satire? i.e. is it trying to be funny or to make a fool out of a news story?
- Is the source trying to make you feel emotional? Angry? Upset?
- Is the writer using biased language?
Where does the information come from?
- Has the author provided their sources?
- Do they back up their claims with evidence?
- Is the text well written without errors or spelling mistakes?
- Can you find the same information elsewhere?
When was the source created?
- Is the information up to date? Does it need to be?
- Is there a more recent version of this information e.g. an annual report?
Why was this source created?
- Why does this source exist? Is it trying to sell you something? Explain something? Shock you?
- Does the writer or organisation explain what the purpose of the source is?
- Can you spot statements, questions, bias, opinion?
- Does anything feel ‘wrong’ about it? It’s a good idea to trust your gut and double check.
Even if it’s reliable, is this a good source for you?
- Can you understand it?
- Is it too simple and basic, or is it too academic and technical?
- Does it provide the information you need?
- Is this a serious source or someone simply trying to be funny? How can you tell?
- Is it easy to read or are there lots of distractions?
