Credibility of Evidence 1

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 Personal history- 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. 4

Whose reputation would you trust? Job ✓ or ✗ Reasoning Politician Doctor Used car salesman Teacher

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 How could this affect a witness’s evidence? Sight Hearing Smell Taste Touch

Vested Interest If somebody has a vested interest, then the credibility of their evidence is weakened, and therefore they are not as trustworthy. Does the witness have something to gain by telling the truth? Does the witness have something to gain by telling lies?

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 Primary School Child Traffic Policeman Motor Mechanic

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.