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Credibility Continuum

With so much information readily available, how do you know what sources to trust? Use this guide to help determine the credibility of various information sources.

Overview

The personal category includes: 

  • Blogs (and blog comments)
  • Youtube channels
  • Personal websites
  • Substack newsletters
  • Medium posts
  • Letters to the editor
  • Other information source(s) that are personal in nature.

The credibility of the information provided by personal sources may range from completely false opinion based sources to highly credible information from leading experts in a particular field. Professors, doctors, journalists, lawyers and other professionals with advanced degrees often have personal blogs and YouTube channels where they share fact-based viewpoints on issues. When evaluating the credibility of a personal information source, a quick Google search of the author's name can tell you the authors' credentials (e.g., they are a professor at a university or a highly respected author), as well as whether they've been involved in any ethical controversies, or have spread misinformation.