Question

Read this excerpt from a passage and the works cited entry for the source listed below the excerpt.

"Bill Richardson, a rancher that lives in the area that has been affected by the frequent earthquakes does not believe that they are a result of man-made causes. 'The thing is,' he states, 'oil and gas production are a big part of our economy, and I believe we are under attack by people who want to change that. So they made up this story about oil and gas drilling and fracking being the main cause of these earthquakes.'"

Richardson, Bill. Personal interview. 5 Sep. 2016.



Is this source credible or not credible, and why or why not?


This person is not a credible source because he has not experienced an earthquake.


This person is a credible source because he provides eyewitness testimony and has experienced the subject in question.


This person is not a credible source because he is not an expert in the subject and expresses an unfounded opinion.


The person is a credible source because he has a valid viewpoint that should be included in the passage.

Answer 1

This person is not a credible source because he is not an expert in the subject and expresses an unfounded opinion.

Reason: the quote is an anecdotal, opinionated statement from a local with a potential economic bias. A personal interview can show local perspective, but it doesn't provide scientific evidence or expert analysis about earthquake causes, so it shouldn't be treated as authoritative on that topic.