Hierarchy of Credibility: The Food Chain of Sources

Not all sources are equal. For the sake of simplicity, sources will be categorized
and discussed in order of credibility (Category I the most credible, Category IV no
credibility what-so-ever).

I. Primary Authority is the law that supports all legal arguments. It

regulates behavior, defines governmental procedures, outlines
mechanisms for dispute resolution, and protects individual rights. All
primary authority must be obtained from LexisNexis or Westlaw. The
hierarchy of primary authority is:
1. The U.S. Constitution
2. State constitutions
3. Statutes (the dual government structure of the U.S. makes
federal and state statutes equal in their respective
hierarchies)
4. Case law / judicial opinions (again, the dual government
structure of the U.S. makes federal and state cases equal
in their respective hierarchies)

II. Peer Reviewed articles are the most credible social science sources
because the content is reviewed by multiple editors. All factual
assertions, quantitative analysis, sources cited, and conclusions are
scrutinized and corroborated before publication in an academic journal is
approved. These articles must be obtained from the university’s LIRN
Databases.

Law Review articles are considered “secondary sources” in the legal

profession (as compared to the law, which is “primary authority”). They
are great for academic assignments but are never to be cited in real-world
legal documents. Remember, only primary authority can be used to
support legal arguments. Other secondary sources include: Restatements,
Treatises, American Law Reports, and American Jurisprudence. These
sources must be obtained from LexisNexis or Westlaw.

III. Editorially Reviewed articles are published in newspapers and

magazines with very minimal oversight. They have very little credibility
and should only be cited when specifically assigned.
IV. Minimally Reviewed sources include generic or commercial websites,
blogs, and social media sites. Under no circumstances should it ever be
 assumed that a website obtained through a Google search is acceptable.
There may be a very rare situation where an assignment requires or
permits them to be referenced. However, it is highly unlikely that this
would ever be the case in a social science or law course.

Always rely on the general rule:

 Absolutely nothing obtained via an Internet search (i.e., Google) is ever

to be cited in a college-level course.