We know that the credibility of a source depends on the authority of the person who created it. If an information creator is an authority in the field, then we can trust that information to be credible.
However, there are many problems with the concepts of authority and expertise, so it’s important to remain skeptical of your research to make sure that you find a good sampling of the authorities on a topic, and make note when experts disagree.
The concept of “authority” is very subjective, and is often complicated by societal issues like gender and race, financial motivation, politics, and other biases. When you’ve done enough research on a topic to feel like you understand the majority opinions and conclusions, ask yourself some questions:
Are the voices I’m learning from diverse?
Are there any historical, systemic issues or biases that need to be taken into account for this topic?
Am I hearing from dissenting voices?
How is this scholarly community treating problematic voices?
Have I considered the potential value of unlikely, dissenting, or emerging voices and opinions here?
Do different communities recognize different authorities on this topic?
The goal of all of these questions is to be sure you have left room in your research and writing for not just the loudest opinions on a topic, but also for the growth and changing perspectives that are constantly happening in every field. It’s always a good idea to incorporate a section in your writing to discuss competing or emerging ideas and potential problems with the information you’re using.
Cross-referencing a source (a.k.a. Lateral Reading) is vital when establishing the credibility of a source/author
Give it a Try!
