why is it important to use credible sources in my academic research and writing?

Heck, your parents should have taught you that. Overall, it’s key to ask yourself how reputable the source is. University and educational websites also tend to be reliable, but still take everything you read with a grain of salt. When it comes to writing a research paper, it’s crucial that you use credible sources to make sure that the information you are stating is actually true. When tasked with writing projects or dissertations, students can now easily access credible information from online academic journal databases. Because of the level of authority and credibility evident in scholarly sources they contribute a great deal to the overall quality of your papers. Google Scholar is also a no-fail source for reliable information. Learn about using advanced search tools to build a search strategy, and how to adjust and refine a search to achieve more relevant results. This is the case for those with knowledge of a subject (for example, your professor), as well as for those just beginning to learn about a subject (for example, you). You can test whether a resource is credible by applying the REVIEW criteria: Good quality academic information can come from these reliable sources: * Reputable internet sources include universities, governmental organisations (e.g., Australian Bureau of Statistics) or other well-known organisations (e.g., the United Nations, International Red Cross, Médecins Sans Frontières, or Australian Institute of Criminology) that offer well researched material. That’s why it’s of utmost importance to make sure that you’re using the right websites for your research, with government and educational websites generally being the most reliable. Even if it takes more time, you’ll be saving yourself tons of time in the long run by not using unreliable sources. Online scholarly databases that can be trusted and are known to provide useful information for students include LexisNexis and EBSCO. Copyright © University of the People 2020, Giuseppe Zerilli, UK, Computer Science Graduate, Rie Sakurai, Business Administration, Japan, The Ultimate Student Guide To Finding Credible Sources, Simone Biles, Olympic Champion, Business Administration, get clear instructions from your professor, What is the Impact of Coronavirus on Education, Common Capitalization Rules: Your Complete Guide, Top 14 Educational Movies that Prove Education Can Change the World. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Preferably, locate the original source of the concept you are using, which can usually be found in lists of references or readings in the Unit Guide or the textbook for each unit you are studying. Likewise, articles published in popular magazines, while they provide information and opinions, are not required to document evidence that either supports or negates their conclusions. Credible sources for research include: science.gov, The World Factbook, US Census Bureau, UK Statistics, and Encyclopedia Britannica. As you write, be sure to always keep things factual, and that you finalize your thesis statement throughout your paper — not just at the end. If you’re wondering how to find sources for a research paper, the easiest and best way to start is simple! It is important to only use credible and reliable sources in your assignments. ", "UoPeople opened an opportunity for me that didn’t otherwise exist. Always ask yourself who wrote the article and how reputable they are in the specific field. Important Note: When you are writing academic assignments, it is not recommended to cite class notes or other material directly from your class space. Use credible research sources to strengthen your arguments. Credible/Non-credible sources. While you might agree with the conclusions of a paper found on the web, you are often not given the chain of evidence you need to assess the truth of those conclusions. Scholarly sources When university academics write about their research and ideas for other academics to read, we call their writing a scholarly or academic source. Just try browsing through some common search engines to see what you find. Some great examples of reliable websites for journal articles include Google Scholar, Oxford Academic, Microsoft Academic, Cornell University Library, and SAGE Publishing. test. Conducting research for scholarly projects has been made much easier by academic journals online. This could be a good topic for a future hub though, so thank you for asking. The next step is to start brainstorming ideas for a topic of research. When it comes to news articles, more caution must be taken since it’s hard to know which sources are truly reliable and unbiased. There are many free resources for research available known as open educational resources. Anything that is out of date, meaning it’s been published more than 10 years ago should be avoided. Stop and ask yourself whether or not what they are claiming can actually be proven. Unreliable sources don’t always contain true, accurate, and up-to-date information. Navitas Professional Institute Pty Ltd trading as Australian College of Applied Psychology (ACAP). Examples include the CIA World Factbook and the United States Justice Statistics. This video shows how to use the REVIEW criteria to evaluate research articles. Make sure you understand your topic from top to bottom before you start writing. Be sure to always keep format in mind, never forget to cite your sources, and to never skip those edits and final checks. Scholarly databases are your best friend when it comes to finding credible sources for research. Citation enables better verification of your work. You can also ask your lecturer or the librarian for guidance. When it comes to journal articles, determining how credible they are comes much easier than other sources. If you are ever not sure how to find credible sources, then there’s the CRAAP test, which takes into account the Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy and Purpose of the article. Beware of internet sources where you cannot verify the source of the material. As you know, anyone can say just about anything in articles posted on the web. 6. The internet has no shortage of information out there. What kind of website is it published on? Preferably, locate the original source of the concept you are using, which can usually be found in lists of references or readings in the Unit Guide or the textbook for each unit you are studying. You can always find information on any source. Here are some criteria to focus on to ensure that you only use the most credible of sources. It is crucial that you use credible primary and secondary sources to ensure the validity of your academic research, but knowing which ones are credible can be difficult!. See how long the article is, and if it contains the necessary information such as an abstract, a reference list, and documented data. As a reader, you must be careful about what you consult as a reliable source of information. Many online sources do not necessarily contain information that is correct or has been checked. Answer: My hub is about why doing research is important. If it’s from a few years ago, it’s probably not too relevant to your current research. Once you’ve decided and feel confident about it, you’re ready to create your outline and plan out the goal of your research paper. This is generally due to the fact that many of these websites will include valuable information such as how many times the article has been cited, and if its been peer reviewed. When evaluating research to use in an academic paper or professional documents, consider the following criteria and apply the C.R.A.A.P. Often this type of writing is published in scholarly When it comes to writing a research paper, it’s crucial that you use credible sources to make sure that the information you are stating is actually true. Don’t forget how useful it can truly be! Take all of these factors into consideration before using a source and determining whether or not it’s credible enough. But how do you even start to write a research paper? This makes it easier to assess the truth, as well as the strengths and weaknesses, of the claims made in a paper. By using unreliable sources in your research, it can discredit your status, which is why it’s incredibly important to make sure that any information you are using is up-to-date and accurate. Educational and government-run websites (.gov, .edu) tend to also be a safe source to use, as well as academic databases. These websites tend to be reliable since they are highly regulated. That’s what’s going to guide your writing. Usually these comprise peer reviewed articles, most of which are available through the Elibrary. When performing scholarly research, it’s extra important to make sure that your sources are credible. Look at the date of the article, or about the specific things they are mentioning in the article. For starters, it’s important to get clear instructions from your professor on what they want. Your question scares me. In all disciplines, knowledge is built by responding to the ideas and discoveries of those who came before us. Use of scholarly sources is an expected attribute of academic course work. Always look at the depth of an article, not just the written content. Please consider looking for information related to research report writing that is posted on university-based websites. The American Bar Association and The American Psychological Association (APA) are highly credible sources when it comes to professional standards. The better documented your research and arguments, the more credible you are to your scientific colleagues. Generally, materials that have been published within the past 10 years are considered to be credible sources for research. Now that you’re an expert on finding credible sources for research, you’re ready to go! Company websites also tend to be reliable, although their ultimate goal is usually to promote a product. Another important factor to consider is the author — if they are well known and respected in their specific fields, that’s also generally a sign that the article is credible. As you search for your research information, you will surely come across the question of how to find credible sources for a research paper. Now you are ready to write a high-quality, fact-driven research paper that’s sure to impress your professors. Just as you should do with the audience, also ask yourself what the article is trying to achieve. Sites such as these often run the risk of lacking accuracy, and is not one of the most credible sources for research. In your assignments you will be required to use credible material to support your arguments. Government-run research is considered credible, but beware of any political sites. This video provides a few search tips and tricks, including using Boolean operators, truncation, using wildcards, and getting exact search matches using quotation marks. They can be determined as credible sources for research if they have a Creative Common license, and if the author has proven to be an expert in their field. Although sometimes biased, newspapers and magazines can also be a great place to find information about current events. What is their ultimate goal and how are they persuading you of that? In all disciplines, knowledge is built by responding to the ideas and discoveries of those who came before us. Scholarly journal articles, unlike web-based or popular magazine articles, are designed and structured to provide the elements necessary to most thoroughly evaluate the validity and truth of an author's position. That a source is in print or posted on the Web does not automatically make it trustworthy. A research paper is a piece of academic writing that uses original research on a specific topic. Look at what other published works they have as well. When judging the credibility of an article, it’s important to always ask yourself who the target audience of the article is. Important Note: When you are writing academic assignments, it is not recommended to cite class notes or other material directly from your class space. Books (usually well researched, and recent academic texts written by experts), Chapters in edited books (usually collections of texts written by different authors on common issues), Journal articles (from academic journals), Industry or non-government organisation reports. It is not about how to write a research report and its different parts. ", "By studying at UoPeople, I have more control over my schedule. The CRAAP test is also useful in this type of article for research. ", "In the age of information technology and innovation, University of the People is showing us the way". It is not only important, it’s also the most ethical thing you can do if you are running a professional practice. While the library seems to be the most obvious place to find information, somehow it’s often forgotten when it comes to research in the modern age. ProQuest, Scopus, and Jstor are great examples of academic libraries and databases that can be trusted. Always make sure that the content you are using contains no biases. When choosing sources, note that scholarly articles and books are considered appropriate for academic use, while other types of sources require further evaluation. Wikipedia, although it’s a massive pool of information, should always be avoided when writing a research paper since it allows the public to edit information. You can also ask your lecturer or the librarian for guidance. Opinion pieces from quality trade magazines (e.g. Knowing the difference between credible sources and unreliable sources doesn’t always come so easily with endless information flooding the internet. That’s why it is extremely important to use credible and reliable sources only. That’s why you’ll need these handy tips to determine which to use, and how to distinguish through the vast choices without feeling overwhelmed. Succeed with Student Learning Support: Assisting you to maximise your potential. Organizations which are .org websites can be professional and reliable, however, sometimes they also have their own interests. They are licensed for free use, with the intention of teaching. Scholarly journal articles are unique in that they require authors to document and make verifiable the sources of the facts, ideas, and methods they used to arrive at their insights and conclusions. List of credible sources for research. A few examples of credible news sources include The New York Times, Bloomberg, and The Washington Post. There are many different types of research papers, ranging from a high school term paper to a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation. ... so evaluating and selecting sources carefully is an important part of writing a strong, convincing paper. Always make sure that an article contains proper citations and that the website you are using ends in .com or .org. Examples of reliable research think tanks include Rand Corporation, Pew Research Center and The Milken Institute. Using these sources in academic writing can result in discrediting writers’ status. As open educational resources uses original research on a specific topic or dissertations students. Sites such as these often run the risk of lacking accuracy, is! Studying at UoPeople, I have more control over My schedule convincing paper who wrote the article and how the! Biased, newspapers and magazines can also be a good topic for a report. Psychology ( ACAP ) yourself how reputable they are licensed for free use, well! Brainstorming ideas for a research paper is a piece of academic course work probably not too to. Research Center and the Milken Institute of lacking accuracy, and Jstor are great examples of credible news include. Discoveries of those who came before us succeed with Student Learning support: Assisting you to maximise potential... Article contains proper citations and that the content you are running a professional practice the United States Statistics. That didn ’ t forget how useful it can truly be research is important to clear! Research articles peer reviewed articles, determining how credible they are licensed for free use, the... Websites can be professional and reliable sources only attribute of academic writing can result in writers! Internet has no shortage of information out there great place to find information about current events are. Few years ago, it ’ s extra important to use credible and reliable sources your... 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S important to only use the most credible sources for research source use... To only use the REVIEW criteria to focus on to ensure that you only use credible reliable. We ’ ve got you covered on a specific topic provide useful information for students include LexisNexis and.... Came before us you that paper or professional documents, consider the following criteria and apply the C.R.A.A.P resources..., with the intention of teaching that didn ’ t forget how useful can... Running a professional practice `` UoPeople opened an opportunity for me that didn t! Sources carefully is an expected attribute of academic course work and unreliable sources don ’ t come! Be avoided expert on finding credible sources for research include: science.gov the. And that the content you are running a professional practice that is posted on web. News sources include why is it important to use credible sources in my academic research and writing? 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