Authority: Who is the Author?
- Can the author(s) claim any special credibility about the topic on which they are writing? Do they have expertise or experience that makes them more credible or believable than someone else?
- Who or what organization is sponsoring the website? Look at the domain (edu, .com, .org, .net, .gov) to know if the site is commercial or not.
- Is it clear who the author is? Is an individual named? Many sources of information may list no author or only a staff writer, but original journalism, academic research, or governmental reports will list a name or names.
- Are the credentials of the author clearly stated? Academic authors will often state their credentials. This is important if you are seeking scientific information.
- Is the author affiliated with any particular organizations or institutions? This could be a university, a research center, or a governmental agency.
- Does the author have a bias? No one can claim total neutrality, but if a clear bias is present, or an argument is being made, make sure it is clearly stated and the author is not making claims they cannot prove.
- Is there contact information for the author(s) given?
