Authority Is Constructed and Contextual refers to the recognition that information resources are drawn from their creators’ expertise and credibility based on the information need and the context in which the information will be used.
Experts view authority with an attitude of informed skepticism and an openness to new perspectives, additional voices, and changes in schools of thought.
Use the questions on the Activity sheet to evaluate one of these scholarly articles:
Use the questions on the Activity sheet to evaluate these sources. Think about the further research you will do to verify these sources as reliable and authoritative.
Discussion Questions:
What is a scholar?
Can we find scholars outside of colleges and universities? e.g. writers, journalists, doctors, lawyers, etc.
Can we find expertise and authoritative information in other formats than scholarly journals?
How do we evaluate and give authority to the work of scholars and experts?
Does the authority of particular work depend, in part, on how the work was created and the purpose for which it will be used?