Transcript raven
Credibility of Evidence 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 What is the track record of the witness? What is the status of the witness? Reputation • TRACK RECORD - 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. Whose reputation would you trust? Job Politician Doctor Used car salesman Teacher ✓ or ✗ Reasoning Ability to See Were they there to witness what happened? Did they have a clear view of what happened? 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 Sight Hearing Smell Taste Touch How could this affect a witness’s evidence? Vested Interest Does the witness have something to gain by telling the truth? Does the witness have something to gain by telling lies? Vested Interest If somebody has a vested interest, then the credibility of their evidence is weakened, and therefore they are not as trustworthy. Expertise Does the witness know what they are talking about? Is their expertise relevant? 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 Traffic Policeman Primary School Child Motor Mechanic Neutrality / Bias Is the witness a neutral observer? Or does the witness have reason to favour one particular side of a dispute? 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. Bias In War Reporting We: They: Our boys are: Theirs are: Take out Destroy Professional Brainwashed Suppress Destroy Cautious Cowardly Eliminate Kill Heroes Cornered Neutralise Kill Loyal Blindly Obedient Dig in Cower in foxholes Brave Fanatical We have: They have: Our leader is: Theirs is: Army, Navy, RAF A war machine Resolute Defiant Reporting Guidelines Censorship Statesmanlike An evil tyrant Press Briefings Propaganda Assured A crackpot monster