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Determine Credibility (Evaluating)

Using credible and relevant sources is important. Learn what questions to ask and some strategies to apply for determining if your source is or isn't appropriate for your project.

Overview

What is credibility?

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines it as

"the quality or power of inspiring belief."

In practice, credible sources inspire belief by citing sound evidence to back up their claims. This guide will help you evaluate sources to determine if they're credible. To start, the first bullet point below will introduce you to the information life cycle, which will get you thinking about the credibility of the sources you meet online, in the library, and in the world around you. For a quick overview, watch the video at the bottom of the page.

The above video was created by NCSU Libraries.

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