Which statement best defines credible sources in research?

• A. Authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, and corroboration; favor primary or official sources.
• B. Authority alone is enough to determine credibility, regardless of accuracy.
• C. Currency and popularity determine credibility.
• D. Accuracy is important, but corroboration is unnecessary.

Answer: (A)

Credible sources are evaluated by a combination of factors—authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, and corroboration—and they’re most trustworthy when they also point you toward primary or official sources. The best answer captures this balanced view: authority ensures the author or institution has relevant expertise; accuracy means the information is factually correct and supported by evidence; objectivity reduces the influence of bias; currency keeps the information timely for the topic; and corroboration means other reputable sources confirm the same facts, strengthening trust in the claim. Favoring primary or official sources helps you access original data or authoritative records, which reduces distortion that can come from secondary summaries.

Why the other ideas fall short: relying on authority alone ignores potential inaccuracies or bias; focusing only on currency and popularity can mislead, because popularity doesn’t guarantee quality or reliability; and counting accuracy without corroboration risks accepting a correct fact in isolation without checking for context or errors elsewhere.