 When finding resources for university assignments, you need to consider how credible or trustworthy the source is. But why is it important to use credible sources? Using credible sources in your work means you're providing good evidence for your argument, and builds trust with your readers by demonstrating your own credibility as a writer. So, how can you tell if a source is credible? You should think about the currency, relevance, authority, accuracy and bias of the resource. Let's use this citation for a journal article as an example. First, look at the currency of the source. When was it published? If you need information on a current topic, or based on the latest research, make sure it was published recently. Next, consider the relevance of the source. What is the topic of the source? Does it have information that you need? For journal articles, the abstract tells you the main ideas of the article. You also need to consider the authority, the author or creator of the source. The author can be a news reporter, academic scholar, an organisation such as the Australian Government, or even your next door neighbour. Consider their credentials. Are they respected in their field? Whose interests could they represent? If you can't tell who created the resource, you might want to look elsewhere. Next, think about the accuracy of the information in a resource. Does the author provide evidence for their claims? Does the writing use more facts or opinion? Are the sources properly referenced? Finally, it's important to think about the bias of a resource. Why was it created? Is the author trying to convince you of their opinion, or trying to sell you something? Did they receive funding from a corporation to conduct the research? These factors could make the resource more biased and less objective. Considering the currency, relevance, authority, accuracy and bias of a source will help ensure your work is well researched. Evaluating information can be challenging. Ask a librarian if you need help.