What constitutes a credible source?

Doing research, looking for answers and guides on everything from home maintenance through to weight loss have because easy to find using an internet search engine. However, this abundance of information does not necessarily make writing a news story any easier. Search results can give a journalist unique tips and leads, but often the information available is based on opinion and not fact.

Because of the lack of credibility of much of the information online, it's important that all sources be checked thoroughly before they are used in a story. This rule applies to both offline and online sources and shouldn't be changed based merely on the format and medium used for the story.

According to the Online Journalism Blog, there are three main parts to identifying a credible online source. Content, which includes how realistic the story sounds, as well as how up to date the information is: context, where the information was used and how well you know and trust the source: and coding, using checks such as domain extensions (.edu and .gov) as well as website age and registration information using databases such as the whois search.

A good rule to stick to when verifying online sources for use in an article, is to find three authority sites who refer to the source in question. Official government and education sites, as well as sites run by well known real world companies, are a good place to start.

Although many journalists fall into the trap of using a partial source or press release, finding a credible and impartial source that has proven to be credible can often add extra information or view points to a story that other news websites may lack.