Research Guide

HOW TO: find and use reliable Internet

sources

Reliable source checklist

Credibility of source:
Why was this site created? Is there any bias?
Who is responsible for this site? What are their
credentials?

Does the author document his/her own sources?

Relevance of source:
Can you understand what is being said?
Does it give a date the information was created
or lIs the site user-friendly? Do the links work?

ast updated?

What is the URL ending?

.com (Commercial websites)
.org (Non-profit websites)
.edu (Academic websites)
.gov (Government websites)

Good Sources!
University presses (Harvard, Cambridge)
Major Publishing Houses (Penguin, Random

House)
Well Known Organizations (United Nations,
Government websites)
Well-Known Newspapers (New York Times)
Well Known Media Sources (BBC, CNN)
Magazines
Online Journals (JSTOR)

Bad Sources!
Wikipedia (DO NOT USE WIKIPEDIA EVER)
Personal Blogs
Non credible newspapers, magazines, editorials
Think about bias