Credibility
of Evidence
Credibility of Sources
Do you believe the source?
Can you trust the claims being made?
Evaluating Credibility
The RAVEN Test
Reputation
Ability to See
Vested Interest
Expertise
Neutrality / Bias
RAVEN
Reputation
What is the track record of the witness?
What is the status of the witness?
Reputation
• TRACK RECORD - If a person has told lies
in the past, then we will be less trusting
of them in the future
• STATUS - If a person is in a position of
authority then their status suggests that
they can be trusted, as they need to be
trustworthy to do that job.
Whose reputation would you trust?
Job
Politician
Doctor
Used car
salesman
Teacher
✓ or ✗
Reasoning
Ability to See
Were they there to witness what happened?
Did they have a clear view of what happened?
Ability to See
A person who can see an event happening is
more reliable than someone who did not see the
event.
Use of other senses?
Sense
Sight
Hearing
Smell
Taste
Touch
How could this affect a witness’s evidence?
Vested Interest
Does the witness have something to gain by telling
the truth?
Does the witness have something to gain by telling
lies?
Vested Interest
If somebody has a vested interest, then the
credibility of their evidence is weakened, and
therefore they are not as trustworthy.
Expertise
Does the witness know what they are talking
about?
Is their expertise relevant?
Expertise
This doesn’t mean that somebody has to be an
expert to give evidence, but somebody who
knows what they are talking about is more
trustworthy than someone who doesn’t.
Expertise relates to whether an observer has the
right background knowledge to give evidence on
a subject.
Does the witness have expertise?
A traffic accident has occurred and the following
witnesses come forward to give their account
Learning
Driver
Traffic
Policeman
Primary
School Child
Motor
Mechanic
Neutrality / Bias
Is the witness a neutral observer?
Or does the witness have reason to favour
one particular side of a dispute?
Neutrality / Bias
A neutral witness is somebody that doesn’t take a
side on the argument. If a person is neutral, they
are not influenced either way.
The opposite of neutrality is Bias. If a person is
biased, they have already made their mind up
about a situation.
Bias In War Reporting
We:
They:
Our boys are:
Theirs are:
Take out
Destroy
Professional
Brainwashed
Suppress
Destroy
Cautious
Cowardly
Eliminate
Kill
Heroes
Cornered
Neutralise
Kill
Loyal
Blindly Obedient
Dig in
Cower in foxholes
Brave
Fanatical
We have:
They have:
Our leader is:
Theirs is:
Army, Navy, RAF
A war machine
Resolute
Defiant
Reporting Guidelines
Censorship
Statesmanlike
An evil tyrant
Press Briefings
Propaganda
Assured
A crackpot monster