Authority Is Constructed and Contextual: information resources reflect their creator's expertise and credibility based on the information need and the context in which the information will be used. Authority is constructed in that various communities may recognize different types of authority. It is contextual in that the information need may help to determine the level of authority required.
Experts view authority with an attitude of informed skepticism and an openness to new perspectives, additional voices, and changes in schools of thought. Experts know how to seek authoritative voices but also recognize that unlikely voices can be authoritative, depending on need.
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Reference
Association of College & Research Libraries. (n.d.). Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. http://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/ilframework.
To understand what makes a source authoritative, and why global perspectives and diverse points of view can be valuable, watch the following video and review the tutorial below:
| There are different types of Authority (and how authority is earned): |
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| The Trustworthiness of an Information Source reflects: |
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