ENG 112 Franklin

Use the RAVEN to evaluate the credibility of sources

R - Reputation

What is the reputation of the author, the sources, and the publication? Do past actions or lies indicate the author, sources, or publication may not be reliable? Is the author, source, or publication in a position of authority?

A - Ability to observe

Is the author in a position that allows access to reliable evidence? If the article is about an event, did the author actually observe the event?

V - Vested Interest

Does the author have a personal stake in the topic or event? Would the author gain anything by lying? Would the author gain anything by telling the truth?

E - Expertise

Does the author have specialized knowledge on the topic or event? Does the evidence come from a source that has expertise on the topic or event?

N - Neutrality

Is the author neutral about the issue or is bias evident? Is the source of the evidence neutral or biased?

(Image attribution: http://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/common-raven)

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