The Significance of Credible Sources in Academic Research: A Guide

This essay emphasizes the critical importance of utilizing credible sources in academic research. It begins by defining credible sources and highlighting their role in avoiding plagiarism and meeting academic requirements. The essay then outlines key factors for evaluating source credibility, including depth, objectivity, currency, author authority, and purpose. The discussion extends to the practical implications of using credible sources for students and professionals, emphasizing the impact on work quality, professional reputation, and the ability to provide reliable arguments. The essay uses the example of researching childhood nutrition to compare the credibility of a UNICEF publication with Wikipedia. It concludes that UNICEF is more credible because of its reputation and non-profit status, making it a reliable source for professional research. The essay's arguments are supported by references and the importance of credible sources in academic research, professionalism, and the avoidance of misinformation.

Use of Credible Sources 1
USE OF CREDIBLE SOURCES IN RESEARCH
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1.
When conducting research or writing a paper as a tertiary education student, it is vital
to use credible sources. Credible sources are the ones that one can be sure that the author’s
ideas are his or her own which can be backed up by evidence (Currie et al. 2010, 116). By
using credible sources, a student ensures that they avoid practices that can be termed as
plagiarism while giving credit to the authors of the sources they have used in conducting
research. By using credible sources, a student is likely to meet curriculum requirements and
pass evaluations.
There are several factors that can be used to evaluate whether sources are credible or
not. First, the depth of the source needs to be considered. A reliable source needs to have
information that is comprehensive and detailed enough to give the reader a chance to connect
what they already know with new information. Second, the source needs to be objective. In
this case, it is vital to examine the author's position on the subject matter critically and
whether they are likely to profit from the information in the source. It is essential to use
sources that have correctly and appropriately referenced any sources they may have gotten
information from. Thirdly, the source needs to be current enough to offer relevant
information. The rule of thumb is often to use sources that are not more than ten years old.
Another factor that requires examination is the authority of the author in the field. The
academic qualifications of the author give the source more credibility. At the same time, if
the author is affiliated to a reputable and an unbiased organization, the source can be
considered credible. Finally, a student needs to consider the purpose of the source. The
purpose of the source needs to be specific and targeted to a particular audience. Sources may
lose credibility if they are generalized and not related to one particular field.
2.

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The practices a student entrenches in their academic work are likely to be carried on
to later life stages especially when they become professionals in their respective fields. Using
credible sources is therefore essential now and in the future. Using credible sources gives
one's work credibility, and the reader can trust the product. As a working professional, using
non-credible sources can result in poor quality work that can damages the relationship that
the writer has with his or her readers.
As a professional, it is vital to provide reliable arguments or analysis. Without
reliable sources in a research paper, readers will question the validity of the author’s
argument. Scholarly sources are articles or books written by experts in a field. Most of these
are written by doctoral or professor students and are often published in peer-reviewed
journals. Such sources are considered credible as they are scrutinized intensely. Primary
sources are also credible sources. These are sources that are closest to the time of topic at
hand. Using a combination of primary and secondary sources increases the reliability of a
paper.
Using credible sources shapes professional practice and builds the reputation of the
professional. It ensures that the final research is conducted according to professional
requirements and it doesn’t involve unethical practices. More so, credible sources are likely
to minimize cases of false or misleading information being disseminated to the readers. For
instance, some websites are likely to take phrases out of context or to skew information in a
bid to push a specific idea. By cross-examining different sources, the author is likely to
establish the objective and unbiased truth. At the same time, is vital to provide evidence of
the sources used by the researcher such that readers can check the sources if they want. Using
credible sources will ensure that the professional conduct solid research and they develop
their careers.

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3.
In early childhood development, the topic of nutrition is a common point of focus.
Two Internet-based sources can be used to research this topic. The first one is a pdf document
published by the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF). This is
a branch of the United Nations that focuses on children's needs. Another source could be
Wikipedia.
The UNICEF source is titled ‘Early Childhood Development: The key to a full and
productive life.’ It contains information regarding the development of children from birth to
about eight years. It highlights the stages of growth, both mental and physical that a child
goes through and the necessary action caregivers need to take to ensure healthy growth.
Given that the source is published by a known and reputable organization, the source is likely
to be credible. The source also contains a list of references highlighting sources of
information in the text. At the same time, the UN is a non-profit organization, and it hopes to
educate rather than gain monetary revenue from the information in the text.
Wikipedia, on the other hand, contains a wide variety of subtopics on the issue of
health and nutrition for children including breastfeeding, vaccination, deficiency of vital
nutrients, oral rehydration solutions, among others. Wikipedia is however not a credible
source given anyone can edit the information on the site. More so, given the content on the
website is free, the editors do not conduct the necessary research to come up with the articles
(Franklin & Carlson 2010). The content is also likely to be biased as it is written by people
with various subjective goals. In this case, it is more prudent to rely on the information
published by UNICEF rather than the one on Wikipedia when conducting professional
research. The UNICEF article provides accurate and reliable information that can be applied
in practice.

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References
Currie, L., Devlin, F., Emde, J. and Graves, K., 2010. Undergraduate search strategies and
evaluation criteria: Searching for credible sources. New Library World, 111(3/4), pp.113-124.
Franklin, B. and Carlson, M. eds., 2010. Journalists, sources, and credibility: New
perspectives. Routledge.