Evaluating Credibility and Reliability in Sources

Evaluating Credibility and Reliability in Sources

The opinion I had initially formed about the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) changed, especially after further research on the organization. This is based on several criticisms I found in regard to the organization, including, one, having political bias, whereby the organization has been criticized for its criteria for designating hate groups. Accordingly, this criterion is politically motivated and potentially targets conservative or right-wing groups disproportionately (Alliance Defending Freedom, 2023). The second criticism I found is a bad working environment with issues like discrimination and harassment, which were so serious that they led to the departure of key leaders, including co-founder Morris Dees. Finally, I also found that the financial practices of the organization are highly questionable, particularly its fundraising practices and the large reserves of cash it maintains.

In my perspective, the term “expert” refers to a person who has a high level of knowledge, expertise, or experience in a specific field. Additionally, their proficiency has to be typically recognized by peers and endorsed through a combination of education, training, and practical experience. Facts are fundamental when forming opinions because they reduce the influence of subjective perspectives, emotions, and biases on one’s thoughts. Secondly, facts are key in terms of credibility because the opinion is based on verified information. Lastly, facts are also a foundational element in analysis and critical thinking. They provide the raw information needed to evaluate situations, find patterns, and draw reasonable conclusions.

Regarding the self-assessment question on whether the article provided seemed credible, my answer was yes. Notably, the article’s content, specifically the statistics included in the article, somehow convinced me of the legitimacy of the organization. Nevertheless, after doing further research, I have reevaluated my strategy of assessing credibility and reliability. Factoring in the recency of a reference or opinion is important for guaranteeing the credibility, reliability, and significance of the facts used in assessments. It aids in ensuring that thoughts and judgments are based on the most recent, accurate, as well as contextually appropriate information available (Fink, 2019). However, older references can still be valuable, particularly for historical circumstances, but the recency of sources usually improves the quality and applicability of information in dynamic and rapidly developing fields.

References

Alliance Defending Freedom. (2023). The truth about Morris Dees and the SPLC. Alliance defending freedom. https://adflegal.org/article/truth-about-morris-dees-and-splc

Fink, A. (2019). Conducting research literature reviews: From the internet to paper. Sage publications.

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Self-Assessment Question
Before you submit your initial post, make sure to read the assigned chapter. Then, ask yourself the following: Did the article in Chapter 6 of the text seem credible and reliable? Why? Be very specific:

Evaluating Credibility and Reliability in Sources

Was it because it was in a textbook?
Because it was written by a learned and respected person?
Because of the content in the article?
Because of your previous knowledge of the SPLC?