Final answer:
User access to knowledge bases or knowledge articles is typically determined by credentials or institutional subscriptions, while evaluating sources involves checking the author's credentials, biases, potential agendas, and the currency of information.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine user access to knowledge bases or a knowledge article, several criteria are used. Access controls are typically defined by considering whether the user has the necessary credentials or subscription level, especially if the information is behind a paywall. Many academic institutions provide databases with millions of scholarly articles that are accessible to students and faculty. Accessing these requires authentication to verify that the user is part of the institution.
Evaluating sources for credibility includes checking the author's expertise, biases, and whether the content is an opinion or peer-reviewed research. For students, reference librarians can be invaluable in helping to navigate through different databases to find scholarly articles relevant to their research needs.
It is also important for users to consider the publication date of information, especially if the topic requires current data. Additionally, while conducting research, users can utilize the CRAAP Test to evaluate sources for Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose.