Consider a Source's:
Consider a Source's Author(s)
Writers use sources for a variety of purposes: to support a point, to illustrate a range of positions on an issue and to show that they are not alone in their opinions, to name a few. With rare exceptions (such as when you are illustrating divergent opinions), the authors you cite should be reliable and trustworthy. When considering the credibility of an author, ask yourself the following questions:
- Who is the Author? What are His or Her Credentials?
- What are the Author's Professional Affiliations?
- What are the Author's Biases?
- What if a Source does not Identify Its Author?
A Note on Field Sources: When conducting field research, you are actually selecting the sources, or "authors," of your information. In particular, in the case of an interview, you select a recognized "authority" to provide you with specific data and informed opinions on your subject.
Similarly, but in a more general sense, you select a group of people to which you intend to distribute a questionnaire or a particular setting or environment that you intend to observe.