Understanding Key criteria of Credibility

Question 1

What is ‘RAVEN’?

Answer 1

Reputation - good or bad
Ability to observe - physically observing + perception
Vested - to tell the truth + lie
Expertise
Neautrality

Question 2

Reputation

Answer 2

• Referring to the credentials of a source = their reliability

Question 3

How does good reputation strengthen evidence?

Answer 3

Evidence given by someone trusted for their honesty = strengthen a case
E.g. Office for National Statistics

Question 4

How does bad reputation strengthen evidence?

Answer 4

Reputation for distorting evidence
E.g. The boy who cried wolf

Question 5

2 aspects of ability to see

Answer 5

• Physical dimensions
• Perception

Question 6

What is the person’s ability to observe physically (physical dimensions) ?

Answer 6

• Physical location
• Physical abilities
• Obstructions to view etc.
  *Examines the credibility of eyewitness accounts.

Question 7

What is the person’s ability to observe perception ?

Answer 7

• Ability to report accurately on an event is influenced by our perception of event
  E.g. man climbing up a ladder- their/neighbour who has lost his keys

Question 8

Eyewitness Account

Answer 8

Considered to be a strong source of evidence = person actually witnessed event

Question 9

3 Problems w/ eyewitness accounts

Answer 9

1. Outright lies - a person claiming to be an eyewitness but is telling lies.
2. Embellishment - adding to the account
3. Reporting of a report - second hand news

Question 10

Hearsay evidence

Answer 10

Second hand information

Question 11

2 types of hearsay evidence

Answer 11

• Perception of eyewitness
• Misinterpretation = take form of selective reporting (missing out certain details)

Question 12

What is vested interest ?

Answer 12

• Has a motive = may be subconscious, to lie or tell truth under oath = gain something from outcome
  E.g. vested to lie/tell the truth.

Question 13

Difference between between bias and vested interest

Answer 13

Every vested interest is biased whereas not every of bias is vested interest.

Question 14

What is expertise ?

Answer 14

Give understanding
*Experts can be wrong

Question 15

What is expert witness?

Answer 15

Add credibility to an argument

Question 16

Is the expertise relevant to what is being reported?

Answer 16

Expertise in one area does not guarantee expertise in other areas.

Question 22

What is ‘RSS’?

Answer 22

Relevance
Significance
Selectivity

Question 24

what is coming to a judgement?

Answer 24

Assessing which side of the argument has greater credibility of evidence.

Question 25

what is corroboration?

Answer 25

• Occurs when two or more sources agree on what happened in a particular situation.
• Need to look for specific points that directly relates to the judgement.

Question 26

what is conflict?

Answer 26

two or more sources give conflicting evidence.

Question 27

3 ways of showing corroboration and conflict within a dispute

Answer 27

1. Ensure judgement is directly relevant to dispute analysed
2. Use quotes to support points
3. Ensure judgement is supported by assessment of issues involved

Question 28

what is balance of evidence?

Answer 28

Assessing evidence before allows to become aware of the balance of the evidence. *explain which sources support each other and why.

Question 29

What is the weight of evidence?

Answer 29

Numerical assessment drawn from the balance of the evidence.

Question 30

What is quality of evidence?

Answer 30

To assess quality of evidence given we need to apply a set of credibility criteria.

Question 31

What is the straw man Fallacy?

Answer 31

When a claim is misinterpreted and the attempt is made to refute the misinterpretation.