Which of the following is not a way that you demonstrate the credibility of your statistics?

Overview

UW Libraries has a whole guide, Savvy Info Consumers: Evaluating Information, which discusses different types of sources and how to approach evaluating their credibility/reliability.

What it means for a source to be credible/reliable can vary depending on the context of its use. Generally, a credible or reliable source is one that experts in your subject domain would agree is valid for your purposes. This can vary, so it is best to use one of the source evaluation methods that best fits your needs. Do remember that credibility is contextual!

It is important to critically evaluate sources because using credible/reliable sources makes you a more informed writer. Think about unreliable sources as pollutants to your credibility, if you include unreliable sources in your work, your work could lose credibility as a result.

Frameworks

There are certain frameworks that information professionals have put together to help people think critically about the information provided. 

Some of the methods that UW Libraries suggest are: 

5 W Questions (5Ws): This method means thinking critically about each of your sources by answering five questions to determine if the source is credible/reliable. The acceptable answers to these questions will vary depending on your needs. The questions are:

• Who is the author? (Authority)
• What is the purpose of the content? (Accuracy)
• Where is the content from? (Publisher)
• Why does the source exist? (Purpose and Objectivity)
• How does this source compare to others? (Determining What’s What)

SMART Check: This method is particularly good at evaluating newspaper sources. Like the 5Ws method it also involves answering critical questions about your source. The criteria are:

• Source: Who or what is the source?
• Motive: Why do they say what they do?
• Authority: Who wrote the story?
• Review: Is there anything included that jumps out as potentially untrue?
• Two-Source Test: How does it compare to another source?

CRAAP Test: This method provides you with a set of criteria that make a source more or less credible. The criteria are:

• Currency: Timeliness of the information
• Relevance: Importance of the information for your needs
• Authority: Source of the information
• Accuracy: Truthfulness and correctness of the information
• Purpose: Reason the information exists

Additional Help

If you would like personalized support from UW Libraries on source evaluation you can

1. Make an appointment with a librarian at the Odegaard Writing and Research Center
2. Ask Us! Chat with a librarian live or email your question

1. During a question-and-answer session, you are asked, "So what about those layoff rumors?" A paraphrase would be

   a. "There is no truth to those rumors."
   b. "I"ll need to let my supervisor address that concern."
   c. "Are you asking me to comment on whether or not I know if there is truth to the rumors?"
   d. "The rumors surface every time we bring out a new product line because people fear the loss of their jobs. What’s your concern?"
   

2. When conducting a question-and-answer session, the following guidelines are appropriate EXCEPT

   a. listen for the substance or big idea of the question.
   b. paraphrase confusing questions before answering.
   c. if the questioner is attacking you personally, use a subtle attack rather than give a defensive answer.
   d. answer as briefly as possible.
   

3. Rules for visual aids include all of the following except

   a. simplify.
   b. make your aid small and portable.
   c. choose an appropriate aid for your audience and topic.
   d. make your aid visually neat and attractive.
   

4. Which of these does not demonstrate audience involvement?

   a. In a speech about skin tone, ask audience members to pinch their elbow skin, and explain how to judge skin tone from the number of seconds it takes for the skin to "pop" back.
   b. In a speech about blindness, ask audience members to close their eyes for twenty seconds.
   c. In a speech about self-concept, ask members of the audience to write down their five "best" traits.
   d. All of these represent examples of audience involvement.
   

5. Speeches that explain "how to" do something are called

   a. instructions.
   b. descriptions.
   c. explanations.
   d. events.
   

6. One way to create emphasis in your speech is to stress important points through

   a. repetition.
   b. use of signposts.
   c. paraphrasing confusing questions.
   d. Both a and b are correct.
   

7. Which is true of an informative speech?

   a. It tends to change the audience's attitudes.
   b. It tries to move the audience to action.
   c. It tries to sway the audience's opinions.
   d. It tends to be noncontroversial.
   

8. "We've been talking about ways to enhance our effectiveness at work. Now here’s the real important thing to remember...." Those words represent

   a. a signpost.
   b. audience involvement.
   c. format.
   d. repetition.
   

9. With regard to the use of language, the following advice was given in the text:

   a. Use a complex vocabulary to show your competence,
   b. Try to choose words that are obscure,
   c. Use precise and simple words to convey thoughts,
   d. Use jargon to demonstrate your expertise, especially to outsiders,
   

10. In order to make it easy for the audience to listen, a speaker should

    a. present as much information as possible to keep the audience interested.
    b. present only unfamiliar information; audiences will be bored with the familiar.
    c. use simple information to build up understanding of complex information.
    d. All of these are correct.
    

11. You can create information hunger by

    a. responding to general needs of the audience.
    b. responding to specific needs of the audience.
    c. responding to self-actualization needs of the audience.
    d. All of these are correct.
    

12. Detailed descriptions, examples, statistics, and definitions are important types of

    a. introductory materials.
    b. supporting materials.
    c. transition materials.
    d. concluding materials.
    

13. Which of these is a way to encourage audience involvement in your speech?

    a. audience participation
    b. use of volunteers from the audience
    c. question-and-answer sessions
    d. All of these are correct.
    

14. Speeches to inform are often classified according to purpose or

    a. description.
    b. content.
    c. technique.
    d. All of these are correct.
    

15. A speech about racism in the United States would be classified by content as a speech about

    a. an object.
    b. a process.
    c. an event.
    d. a concept.
    

What are 3 factors that enhance the credibility of a speaker?

What are some ways that you can establish credibility with your audience?

Which of the following is a way of enhancing your credibility as a speaker?

Which of the following are types of credibility for public speakers?