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Information Literacy Modules

How do I evaluate a contributor's authority?

A contributor's expertise and credentials should relate to your subject. A credible book author might:

  • Have a degree in this subject
  • Study or do research on this topic
  • Work in a related field
  • Write about this topic regularly
  • Have first-hand knowledge
  • Have participated in, or observed, events and people

Every author has opinions and a worldview that shape his or her treatment of a subject. As you read the book, ask yourself how the author's views and affiliations might affect the presentation or omission of information.

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