Discussion board - research design class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion board - research design class - Essay Example 2. Distinguishing between authoritative sources and non-authoritative ones In order to write a good scholarly paper, one has to be aware of how to distinguish between authoritative sources and non-authoritative ones. One of the criteria that is used to distinguish between the two is the credibility of the author. In most authoritative sources, the authors’ credentials are normally given in detail. Other criteria that can be used to check the authoritativeness of source is evaluating the use of evidence and critical analysis of the evidence presented. 3. Examples of authoritative sources: Peer Reviewed journals UN research reports Audit reports for companies The information contained in these sources is normally based on evidence and through research. The authors of these documents are credible and the information contained in their findings is easily verifiable. Examples of non-authoritative sources: Personal blogs Social networks Free online encyclopedias such as Wikipedia Th ese sources normally do not contain substantive information. The information found in these sources in mainly personal opinion which in many instances is not backed by any hard evidence (MW Consulting, 2008). Response on Postings The first posting contains a brief and clear definition of an authoritative source.