Watch this quick video to understand the importance of evaluating your sources.
It's much easier to use the print and electronic sources provided through the library, which have already been evaluated by librarians, than to go through the process of evaluating information from the Internet. But if you choose to use a source, such as a website, that is not a library resource, be sure to verify that it is reliable. Ask yourself:
- Who wrote this? Does this person have credentials or experience in this field?
- Is this information up-to-date? Note that sometimes, even if the date at the bottom of a website is recent, the website can contain outdated information. Can you tell when the information you want to use was written?
- Are there any references provided? Where did the author get his or her information?
- Who funds this website? Might the website contain biased information?
- Note that most instructors will not accept Wikipedia as a source.
Watch this video for tips on evaluating web sites.
