Not all resources are created equally. Evaluating sources for relevancy and usefulness is one the most important steps in research. 

Authority is Constructed & Contextual

Information resources reflect their creators’ expertise and credibility, and are evaluated 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.
• Authority is contextual in that the information need may determine the level of authority required.

Readers should view authority with an attitude of informed skepticism and an openness to new perspectives, additional voices, and changes in schools of thought.

1. Is this research peer reviewed? A study published in a peer-reviewed journal typically undergoes a detailed critique by a small number of qualified scholars. The peer-review process, while imperfect, is designed for quality control.
2. Is it published in a top-tier academic journal? Top journals are more likely to feature high-quality research. They are more selective about the research they accept for publication. Also, their peer-review process tends to be more rigorous. A measure for gauging a journal’s ranking is its Impact Factor quartile ranking, which can be found in Web of Science. 
3. What is the journal's governing body? Who is on the editorial team? Journals shall have editorial boards or other governing bodies whose members are recognized experts in the subject areas included within the journal’s scope. The full names and affiliations of the journal’s editors shall be provided on the journal’s Web site.
4. Who funded the research? It’s important to know who sponsored the research and what role, if any, a sponsor played in the design of the study and its implementation or in decisions about how findings would be presented to the public.
5. What are the authors’ credentials? Knowing where the authors work and how often they have been published can help you assess their expertise in a field of study.
6. Do the authors have a conflict of interest? Be leery of research conducted by individuals or organizations that stand to gain from the findings.
7. Do other scholars trust this work? One indicator of whether other scholars consider a study to be credible is the number of times they cite it in their own research. It can take years, however, for a study to generate a high citation count. You can use Google Scholar, a free search engine, or Web of Science, to find citation counts. Be aware! A high citation count does not always mean consensus; it might mean that other scholars frequently question this work. Investigate those citing sources. 
8. How old is the study? In certain fields — for example, chemistry or public opinion — a study that is several years old may no longer be reliable.
9. What’s the sample size? For studies based on samples, larger samples generally yield more accurate results than smaller samples.
10. Can you follow the methodology? Scholars should explain how they approached their research questions, where they got their data and how they used it. They also should clearly define key concepts and describe the statistical methods used in their analyses. This level of detail is necessary to allow other people to check and replicate their work. Replicability is critical.
11. Is statistical data presented? Authors should present details about the data they are examining and the numerical results of their analyses. This allows others to review their calculations. In some fields, authors make their data sets publicly available.
12. Are the study’s findings supported by the data? Good researchers are very cautious in describing their conclusions – because they want to convey exactly what they learned. Sometimes, however, researchers might exaggerate or minimize their findings or there will be a discrepancy between what an author claims to have found and what the data suggests.
13. Is it a meta-study? Among the most reliable studies are meta-studies, also referred to as meta-analyses. Their conclusions are based on an analysis of multiple studies done on a particular topic.

From Principles of Transparency and Best Practices in Scholarly Publishing and  Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center, The Journalist’s Resource.