Which term describes the quality of being being trustworthy and reliable when evaluating sources?

• A. Currency
• B. Authority
• C. Relevance
• D. Credibility

Answer: (D)

Focusing on credibility means judging whether a source is trustworthy and reliable enough to use in your work. A credible source usually has clear author information, demonstrates expertise or qualifications, provides evidence or citations, and presents facts that can be verified. This combination helps you depend on the information rather than questioning its accuracy.

Currency is about how up-to-date the information is, which matters for topics that change quickly. Authority refers to who is providing the information and their credentials, which supports trust but isn’t the full measure of reliability. Relevance concerns whether the source’s content actually fits your topic. Credibility specifically targets whether the source can be trusted and relied upon, making it the best term for describing that quality.