sourceappropriate

Sourceappropriate is a concept in information literacy and sourcing that describes selecting and citing sources that are appropriate to a specific claim, audience, and medium. It goes beyond mere credibility by aligning source type, scope, and constraints with the purpose of the work, the level of detail required, and practical considerations such as access and licensing. The framework emphasizes fit between the information need and the available sources, rather than treating all credible sources as equally suitable for every context.

Core criteria commonly associated with sourceappropriate include authority and expertise, factual accuracy and corroboration, relevance to the claim, appropriate level of depth, and timeliness. Additional factors include accessibility for readers, reproducibility of findings where applicable, and rights or licensing considerations that determine how sources can be used or shared. In practice, this means a historical claim might favor primary sources and peer‑reviewed scholarship, while a general-audience article might rely on secondary summaries and vetted explainers.

Applications of sourceappropriate appear across domains. In academic writing, it informs literature reviews and citation practices. In journalism, it guides editorial decisions, verification workflows, and the balancing of perspectives. In policy, project management, and software development, it supports provenance tracking, licensing compliance, and the selection of sources that can be legally and practically integrated.

Challenges include subjective judgments about which sources are most appropriate, potential biases in source selection, and disparities in access that can affect which sources are available. Proponents advocate transparent documentation of rationale for source choices to enhance reproducibility and trust. Related concepts include source credibility, information-literacy standards, and citation practices.