Final answer:
Politically biased sources are not recommended for citation in academic essays due to their tendentious nature, but they can sometimes serve to identify various perspectives or more credible sources during initial research.
Step-by-step explanation:
Politically biased sources are not usually filled with accurate information and should generally not be cited in academic essays. This is because such sources may present information with the intent to sway opinion, overlooking counterarguments or differing perspectives.
Judging the credibility of a source is crucial in academic writing. When a source has a clear political bias or its authority is unclear, it should be scrutinized and most often is not suitable for citation in research. However, these sources can sometimes be useful at the early stages of research to identify different viewpoints or lead to credible sources.
Furthermore, bias becomes problematic when a source that appears objective contains language or imagery intended to influence the reader's views. To spot bias, consider the author's purpose, research the author's background, and differentiate between fact and opinion.