Credible Sources
The Master Gardener Program uses unbiased, university research-based information to guide its learning and volunteerism. However, in this day and age, nearly anybody can present themselves as a subject expert and the Internet and social media can often promote misinformation.
Use the following guidelines as you sort through information:
- Preferred sources: You use these as your primary sources of information when gathering information and answering questions. These most often are the unbiased, university research-based information sources.
- Possible sources: Before using, you examine these sources for appropriateness, bias, and credibility. Use this when the preferred sources are unavailable or as a starting point to find something preferred.
- Least preferred sources: You avoid using these as the primary source. You might use these as a starting point in research and then find your way to possible and preferred sources.
You will also consider the institution and organization, the geographical origin, and the print/media source to arrive at the most credible sources possible on the needed topic. Contact your Extension educator or the Master Gardener Program if you need help determining the appropriateness of a potential source.
This table isn’t exhaustive, but it gives you an idea of things to consider when choosing sources of information to use in programming.
| Preferred Source | With Vetting | Least Preferred | |
| Institutions and Organizations | University resources; state and federal governmental resources, such as Department 0f Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, and USDA | Not-for-profit organizations, such as Xerces Society, environmental centers and botanical gardens with research and education missions | Commercial, for-profit entities or random, unvetted websites |
| Geography | From within Wisconsin | From surrounding midwest states; areas with a similar environment to Wisconsin | From areas outside the midwest; areas with a different environment from Wisconsin |
| Print and media | Information with direct source citations, such as journals and peer reviewed articles; websites ending in .edu or .gov | Popular press with source citations; websites ending in .org. | Popular press with no source citations; sites ending in .com |
While it is better to use a preferred source for information, other sources often come up first. Don’t stop there! Use this as the first step in the process of finding information and searching for preferred sources. You may learn terms or concepts that you can then apply in a new search. When searching online, use keywords that also use the word “university” or “.edu” to help bring up university sources of information.
- See demonstration
You will also need to consider the qualifications and quality of presenters and authors. Qualifications may include academic degrees and/or experience in the topic. Consider the individual’s point of view: are they an educator, researcher, or regulator? Are they trying to sell you a product or service? Are they sponsored? Are they an instigator who likes to present button-pushing topics? Are they a good communicator who can properly convey the information in a neutral way or are they selling their personal agenda with their charisma?
With organizations, look at their mission statement and About section on their websites. Read about their membership, if available. Are they about education and the professional development of their members? If so, this could be a potential source. Or, do they lobby for a specific point of view? You may want to continue searching for a better source.
Let’s look at some examples. For each, assume you are researching information for a Wisconsin gardening project.
Answer the following question and press CHECK to submit your answer. Use the > in the blue circle to advance to the next question.
Know Your Audience
Remember that while you are passionate enough about plants to be choosing this as your volunteer work, not everyone else wants to hear about the nuances of daylily breeding when they ask you to identify a daylily in a photo or discuss the process of photosynthesis when they ask you if a particular plant should be in full sun or part shade. Keep your audience, location and client in mind when responding. Our values of “meeting people where they are at” and “build with, not for” mean in part that we should not be trying to display our vast horticultural knowledge at every opportunity. Plants fit differently into everyone’s life, whether it is because they don’t know much about them or they lead busy lives and have other priorities. Help them figure out how plants can enrich and inform their lives in a way that makes sense for them. Once a person determines how plants and gardening fit into their life, we can help move them along the gardening path as they further develop their interest and skills.