Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Sources: A Guide to Information Types.

When it comes to evaluating authority in a world full of information, who do you trust? Information can come from books, radio, audiobooks, movies, professors, friends, activists, government officials, a particular community or social media. It is important to understand the value of that information and how context affects its usefulness. The concept that authority is constructed and contextual is a core principle in information literacy.

Authority: Authority is built over time by society based on knowledge, position, or trust. The type of authority you need depends on context.

Contextual: Someone might have authority in one area but not in another.

For example, your English literature professor’s authority is strictly limited to literature. If that same professor gives advice on how to invest money, it is just their opinion because they have no expertise in that area.

This demonstrates that authority is constructed and contextual: a literature professor’s expertise is recognized only within the context of literature. Outside that context, such as giving financial advice, their statements are personal opinion, not authoritative information.

In higher education, databases contain highly authoritative sources which can include streaming videos, academic journals, images, news. For example, academic journals, specifically peer-reviewed articles are considered highly authoritative sources. This is because the articles they publish are evaluated by experts in the field before being accepted, ensuring the research is accurate, credible, and contributes to scholarly knowledge. Using peer-reviewed journals in your research helps you rely on information that is trustworthy and respected within the academic community.

In art and design disciplines, images/visuals also have great authority because they depict an artists/designers work. You can find images and streaming videos in these databases.

Some books can also be considered authoritative sources, especially when they include information from experts in a particular field.