A source published through a trusted publisher will give it greater credibility. Check previous publications from the publisher, reviews, and if they are affiliated with e.g. a university.
If the book is published on a trusted publisher, it will add to the book’s source value. Is the publisher associated with an academic institution like a university?
- Is the publisher trusted? What other sources have been published by this publisher?
- Who owns the publishing house?
- There are both Norwegian and international ranking systems for publishers of academic literature that may help you to determine their quality and relevance.
- What is the publisher’s reputation? Is it a commercial publisher or an academic one contributing to knowledge in a research area?
- Concerning webpages, you should check who the responsible publishers are, and what purpose the publication has. Is there any information about these details?
- Is it possible to contact the publisher? The domain name tells you which country the server is located in and what type of organization this is.
- If the publisher is anonymous, it may weaken the credibility.
- Public documents are published by the department responsible. It should be clearly stated who is accountable.
- Newspapers may be political or otherwise biased. Therefore, the news and articles can be described from a certain viewpoint. Be aware of this when you consider the objectivity of the source.