The quality of an academic piece of writing largely depends on the sources cited. For this reason, it is always advisable to search for sources that are credible.
But, what makes a source credible: what factors should you consider determining credibility of a citation source?
The following factors are worth considering when choosing an academic source.
” There is a huge chance that some details in the article may not be right.”
Contributors
Suppose you are reading a journal article on nuclear physics published by someone whose credentials are not consistent with the requirements of the journal, would you trust that source?
The truth is that trusting a source written by someone with mediocre credentials is not a good idea. There is a huge chance that some details in the article may not be right.
Therefore, it is important to look for a source that is backed by contributors whose credentials are recognized by reputable institutions and organizations.
“Elsevier”
Publishers
This is one important factor that is worth considering each time you are in search of a reliable citation source. There are publishers that do not release academic articles which do not meet certain standards.
They are only willing to publish papers that are consistent with high academic standards. Major examples include Elsevier, the Journal of Management and the Journal of International Business. Based on this, you should try by all means to search for sites that are renowned for publishing academically sound articles.
“A citation source is said to be credible if it is not very old. “
How Old The Information Is?
A citation source is said to be credible if it is not very old.
This is not to suggest that any old academic references are not worth citing or have issues.
Rather, it is because sometimes information on certain academic topics tends to change.
When it does, old journal articles on such topics become outdated. The updated versions of such publications are the ones that are valid.