That depends! There are all sorts of reasons why a source may not be considered reliable. Anything from the author to the date it was published to the information it contains to even where it was found by a researcher could affect an item's credibility. If you have any questions about why something is or isn't considered credible, check with your instructor or come to the library and ask; we're here to help you learn, and this is included!
Also, keep in mind that credibility is not one single thing. What matters is what the researcher (that's you!) is doing with the source and how they are interpreting its meaning. It's okay to list a very old news article as a source if you're writing a historical paper or writing background on a topic, but what you can't do is use a very old research article as evidence of current research.
As always, if you have questions, ask early, and ask often!
| Criteria | Questions to Ask |
| Currency |
|
| Relevance |
|
| Authority |
|
| Accuracy |
|
| Purpose |
|