Which criteria help you judge the credibility of a source for a research task?

• A. Authority, accuracy, currency, coverage, and objectivity; corroborate with other sources.
• B. The color of the cover determines credibility.
• C. The author’s birthday determines accuracy.
• D. The presence of citations alone guarantees credibility.

Answer: (A)

When judging credibility for a research task, you look at who wrote it and how solid the information is. The best sources show authority (the author or organization has real expertise or credentials), accuracy (facts can be checked against evidence and are free from errors), currency (the information is up-to-date enough for the topic), coverage (the source addresses the topic thoroughly without missing important parts), and objectivity (the presentation is balanced and not slanted by hidden motives). It’s also important to corroborate key points with other reputable sources, so you’re not relying on a single perspective.

That combination is why this set of criteria is the strongest choice: authority, accuracy, currency, coverage, and objectivity, plus corroboration with other sources. It moves you beyond superficial cues and toward trustworthy, well-supported information.

The color of the cover isn’t a reliable signal of credibility, so it doesn’t help. An author’s birthday has no bearing on how accurate or trustworthy the content is. And while having citations is helpful, simply including them doesn’t guarantee credibility—those citations must be relevant, high-quality, and correctly interpreted within a well-supported argument.