Research
Source credibility checklist
Score a source against 11 credibility checks, such as author, date, evidence and bias, and get a weighted verdict. For coursework, the EPQ and university essays; save it to your source list.
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Weighted score: authority and accuracy count 1.5×, bias 1.25×, currency 1×.
How it works
Source Credibility Checklist helps you decide whether a source is good enough to use in an essay or project. You tick off 11 credibility checks across authority, accuracy, bias and currency, and get a weighted verdict: reliable source, use with caution, or weak source.
- Type the source's name and URL, and add any notes worth remembering about it.
- Work through the questions under Authority, Accuracy, Objectivity / Bias and Currency. Tick each one the source passes; the hint under each question tells you what to look for.
- Watch the verdict update as you tick. A score of 80% or more reads as a reliable source, 50% to 79% as use with caution, and below 50% as a weak source.
- Press New source to save the result to your Checked sources list. The checklist clears, ready for the next source.
- From the list, press Edit to change a source's ticks, Cite this source to open the Citation Generator with its title and URL filled in, or Send sources to Notes to keep every verdict in one note.
Tips
- Check at least one key fact in a second, independent source. If you cannot confirm it anywhere else, be careful with it, however polished the site looks.
- On fast-moving topics like technology, health or current events, look for the date first. A well-written article can still be out of date.
- Write a one-line reason in the notes box. When your teacher asks why you trusted a source, you will have the answer ready.
FAQ
- What makes a source reliable?
- Usually a named, qualified author or a reputable publisher, claims backed by evidence you can check, neutral language that admits other views, and a recent date. University, government and established news sites are a good start, but still run the checks.
- Why do some checks count more than others?
- Who wrote it and whether it is accurate matter most, so authority and accuracy checks count 1.5 times. Bias counts 1.25 times and currency counts once, because an older source can still be fine for topics that do not change quickly.
- Are my checked sources saved?
- Yes. Your current checklist and your list of checked sources are saved in this browser's local storage on this device. Nothing is uploaded unless you sign in to an optional free Brainlag account, which syncs your data across devices. Clearing your browser data deletes them.