Information Credibility: How Does Argument Strength Have An Impact

Abstract: Determining whether the information read online is credible or not has become a crucial part of the process of consuming new information. With technology and the internet becoming all more advanced and developing continuously, the question regarding the influence of an argument’s strength on information credibility arose. The aim of this study was to contribute to the field of strategic communication by researching if argument strength has an impact on information credibility. This was done by using arguments from a previous study and applying those arguments in a Swedish context in the form of Facebook mock-up posts. In order to achieve the purpose of the study, a quantitative approach was chosen in an experimental design by carrying out an a/b-test collecting descriptive statistics, recipients' perceived credibility of information and their attitudes towards social media. By conducting a univariate analysis and a comparison of means, the study found that argument strength has a positive effect on how credible information is perceived. The results confirm several findings mentioned in previous research studies within the field of message credibility and persuasive communication. Furthermore, this study strengthens previous reflections and results with data collected from a predominantly millennial generation in Sweden. The study also offers insight on how users with similar attributes to this sampling group may evaluate information credibility online. This thesis paper may be of interest to communication practitioners and organizations creating and publishing information online.