Determining Whether a Source is Reliable on Wikipedia

Written By Beutler Ink

Wikipedia follows strict reliability guidelines for sources to ensure that articles are verifiable and neutral. Here’s how to determine whether a source is considered reliable on Wikipedia.

Step 1

Identify the Type of Source

Wikipedia categorizes sources into three main types:

  • Scholarly & Academic Sources (Usually Reliable)

    • Peer-reviewed journal articles

    • Books from reputable publishers

    • Government reports or official documents

  • Reputable News & Media Sources (Generally Reliable)

    • Mainstream news outlets with strong editorial oversight (e.g., The New York Times, BBC, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal)

    • Well-established trade publications (e.g., Harvard Business Review, The Hollywood Reporter)

  • Questionable or Unreliable Sources

    • Opinion blogs, personal websites, and self-published sources

    • Press releases, corporate websites, and social media (only reliable for official statements)

    • Sensationalist/tabloid news (e.g., New York Post, TMZ)

Shortcut: If the source is widely cited in academic research or respected media, it's likely reliable.

Step 2

Check Editorial Oversight and Fact-Checking

Wikipedia favors sources that have strong editorial controls.

✅ Reliable sources have:

  • Professional fact-checking and editorial review

  • Clear authorship and publisher reputation

  • Independence from the subject

🚫 Unreliable sources often have:

  • No clear editorial process (e.g., blogs, social media posts)

  • Heavy bias, conspiracy theories, or extreme partisanship

  • Pay-to-publish schemes (e.g., Forbes Contributor Network, PRNewswire)

Example: The Washington Post (high editorial standards) is reliable, while Infowars (conspiratorial) is unreliable.

Step 3

Evaluate Bias and Independence

  • News sources can have bias, but that doesn’t automatically make them unreliable.

  • Highly partisan sources (e.g., Breitbart, Occupy Democrats) are discouraged.

  • Corporate or promotional sources (e.g., company websites, press releases) are not independent from the subject and generally not useful in most circumstances.

Rule of Thumb: If a source primarily promotes or attacks a subject rather than reporting neutrally, it’s not ideal for Wikipedia.

Step 4

Verify the Information Elsewhere

A single source is rarely enough—Wikipedia prefers multiple independent sources.

✅ Reliable

  • Multiple independent sources confirm the same information.

🚫 Unreliable

  • Only one obscure source reports the claim.

  • The claim contradicts widely accepted research or expert consensus.

Example: A scientific discovery should be cited from peer-reviewed journals, not a lone blog post.

Step 5

Consult Wikipedia’s Guidelines and Noticeboards

If you're unsure about a source’s reliability, check:

Step 6

Apply the Information to Wikipedia Editing

Now that you’ve determined reliability:

✅ Use the source if:

  • It’s a high-quality, independent publication with editorial oversight.

  • It aligns with expert consensus and is widely cited.

🚫 Avoid or qualify the source if:

  • It lacks fact-checking, has extreme bias, or is self-published.

  • It’s only being used to push a specific point of view.

Final Tip: When in doubt, look for a better source. Wikipedia relies on the best available sources, not just any source.

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