Textual Analysis
C1 Lesson 3: Evaluating Evidence & Credibility
Goal:
Distinguish between credible sources and weak claims. Assess the quality of evidence.
1. Key Concepts
Credibility
ភាពគួរឱ្យជឿជាក់ (Trustworthiness)
Bias
លំអៀង (Unfair preference)
Evidence
ភស្តុតាង (Data/Facts)
Peer-Reviewed
ត្រួតពិនិត្យដោយអ្នកជំនាញ
2. The C.R.A.P. Test
Use this checklist to evaluate any source.
C
Currency
Is it recent? Is it up to date?
R
Reliability
Are there citations? Can you verify it?
A
Authority
Who wrote it? Are they an expert?
P
Purpose
Is it to inform, sell, or persuade?
3. Evaluate the Evidence
Compare these two sources on the topic of "Coffee & Health".
❌ WEAK SOURCE (Blog)
"I drink coffee every day and I feel great! My grandma lived to be 90 and she loved coffee. Coffee cures everything!"
- Evidence: Anecdotal (Personal story only).
- Authority: Unknown blogger. No medical degree.
- Bias: Strong emotional bias.
✅ STRONG SOURCE (Medical Journal)
"A 2023 study involving 10,000 participants found a correlation between moderate caffeine intake and reduced risk of heart disease (Smith et al., 2023)."
- Evidence: Statistical data, large sample size.
- Authority: Cited academic study.
- Tone: Neutral and objective ("correlation", not "cure").
4. Credibility Check
1. You are researching Climate Change. Which source is more credible?
2. Which statement shows potential BIAS?
