How can you tell if a website is credible? Use the ACT UP acronym to help figure it out.
A: Author
- Who wrote this? What authority do they have?
C: Currency
- Is this recent enough to answer my question? When was it updated last?
- When talking about medical information, the best resources are less than five years old.
T: Truthful
- Does the information line up with what you've heard from other sources?
- Does the website cite their sources?
- Google the website. Have they gotten in trouble for spreading fake news?
U: Unbiased
- Where is their funding coming from?
- Aim for impartial sources
P: Privilege, Positionality, and Perspective
- Who wrote this article? Who conducted the original research, if they're referring to other sources? How might their personal characteristics affect how they speak about substance use?
- Who is included in the research or narrative? Who is left out, and would the people who were left out have a different perspective?
