Finding Credible Information : A Challenge to Students Writing Academic Essays

Whether the framework suggested by Fogg, which comprises four types of web credibility (presumed, reputed, surface and earned credibility), can be of use in this specific context to increase the understanding of how essay-writing students assess the credibility of scientific information in web-based environments is investigated.

Abstract

This study focuses on how students assess the credibility of scientific information in web-based environments. What importance do students attach to different cues when assessing credibility? The aim is to investigate whether the framework suggested by Fogg (2002; 2003; Tseng & Fogg 1999a; 1999b), which comprises four types of web credibility (presumed, reputed, surface and earned credibility), can be of use in this specific context to increase the understanding of how essay-writing students assess the credibility of scientific information in web-based environments. A questionnaire concerning students ’ search behaviour and their evaluation of information was answered by 144 students (110 women and 34 men) at a Swedish university. Descriptive statistics were used during the data processing. The students were asked to rate the credibility of 24 elements. They attached most importance to the following elements: Year of publication, Teachers’ recommendations, Abstract, and Established researcher. These elements represented all four types in Fogg’s framework. The elements that concerned earned credibility – based on first hand experience – were noted as comparatively more important by the respondents.