Which of the following sentences correctly evaluates a source’s authority?This article may be considered authoritative because __________________________.

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Authoritative sources are identified primarily by the expertise and credentials of their authors; an article written by experts with substantial research experience in public health is therefore the strongest basis for calling it authoritative.

1) Relevant knowledge points and concepts
- Authority is one of the core criteria for evaluating sources (alongside accuracy, currency, relevance, and purpose). Authority focuses on who wrote the piece: their credentials, institutional affiliation, publication venue, peer-review status, and history of research in the field. Currency (how recent), relevance (topic fit), and objectivity are separate criteria.

2) Step-by-step reasoning
- Start from the prompt: “This article may be considered authoritative because ______.” The blank should be filled with a justification that directly supports authority.
- Evaluate each option against the authority criterion.

3) Intermediate evaluation of options
- Option A: “it was written by experts who have significant research experience in the field of public health.” This directly addresses authors’ expertise and research credentials—core components of authority.
- Option B: “it was only published last year and thus includes information that is up to date.” This addresses currency, not authority. Recent publication helps relevance and timeliness but doesn’t guarantee expertise or reliability.
- Option C: “it is directly related to the topic of my research.” That addresses relevance, not the author’s authority or credibility.
- Option D: “it discusses the topic objectively, using jargon that is specific to the field of study.” Objectivity and use of jargon may suggest scholarly tone, but jargon alone doesn’t prove authors’ credentials; objectivity speaks to purpose/accuracy, not authors’ authority.

4) Why the correct answer is correct
- Option A explicitly identifies the authors as experts with significant research experience in public health. That directly meets the authority criterion: qualified authorship and a record of research make the content more credible and trustworthy.

5) Why the other options are incorrect
- B is about currency (recency) not authorship.
- C is about topical relevance, which doesn’t measure credibility of the author.
- D conflates tone/terminology with authority; jargon and perceived objectivity are insufficient evidence of authors’ expertise.

6) Conclusion confirming the answer
Therefore, the correct choice is: it was written by experts who have significant research experience in the field of public health. This matches the provided answer.

Which of the following sentences correctly evaluates a source’s authority?This article may be considered authoritative because __________________________.Single choice

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