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Always check that your sources are accurate! Remember, anyone can post on the web! If you are not checking your sources and you add them into your project, you are responsible for the misinformation. This video will help you navigate sources found on the web.
This video introduces a new acronym. Watch for it!

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Evaluating Websites   (for Elementary students)

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There are many types of elements to evaluate for the accuracy, authenticity, relevance, and authority. Here is a quick summary and overview of those types.

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These are sources that you are likely to encounter when doing academic research.

Questions? Ask us!

Scholarly publications (Journals)

A scholarly publication contains articles written by experts in a particular field. The primary audience of these articles is other experts. These articles generally report on original research or case studies. Many of these publications are "peer reviewed" or "refereed". This means that scholars in the same field review the research and findings before the article is published. Articles in scholarly publications, in most cases:

are written by and for faculty, researchers, or other experts in a field

use scholarly or technical language

include a full bibliography of sources cited in the article

are often peer reviewed (refereed)

To see the typical components of a scholarly journal article check out the Anatomy of a Scholarly Article page from North Carolina State University Libraries.

Popular sources (News and Magazines)

There are many occasions on which reading articles from popular sources can help to introduce you to a topic and introduce you to how that topic is being discussed in society. Articles in popular sources, in most cases:

are written by journalists or professional writers for a general audience

written in a language that is easy to understand by the general public

rarely have a bibliography - rather, they are fact-checked through the editorial process of the publication they appear in

don't assume prior knowledge of a subject area - for this reason, they are often very helpful to read if you don't know a lot about your subject area yet

may contain an argument, opinion, or analysis of an issue

Professional/Trade sources

Trade publications are generally for practitioners. They are focused on a specific field but are not intended to be "scholarly". Rather, they communicated the news and trends in that field. Articles in trade publications, in most cases:

are written by practitioners in a field (nurses, teachers, social workers, etc)

use the language (and jargon) of the field

Books / Book Chapters

Many academic books will be edited by an expert or group of experts. Often, books are a good source for a thorough investigation of a topic. Unlike a scholarly article, which will usually focus on the results of one research project, a book is likely to include an overview of research or issues related to its topic.

Conference proceedings

Conference proceedings are compilations of papers, research, and information presented at conferences. Proceedings are sometimes peer-reviewed and are often the first publication of research that later appears in a scholarly publication (see above!). Proceedings are more commonly encountered (via databases and other searching) in science and engineering fields that in the arts and humanities.

Government Documents

The Government Printing Office disseminates information issued by all three branches of the government to federal depository libraries (including NMSU). Additionally, the many departments of the government publish reports, data, statistics, white papers, consumer information, transcripts of hearings, and more. Some of the information published by government offices is technical and scientific. Other information is meant for the general public.

Theses & Dissertations

Theses and dissertations are the result of an individual student's research while in a graduate program. They are written under the guidance and review of an academic committee but are not considered "peer-reviewed" or "refereed" publications.

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LibGuides: Understanding & Evaluating Sources: Different Types of Sources

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These are sources that you are likely to encounter when doing academic research. Questions? Ask us! Scholarly publications (Journals) A scholarly publication contains articles written by experts in a particular field. The primary audience of these articles is other experts. These articles generally report on original research or case studies.

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Your school library has more than the physical books that you see on the shelves! Your library probably also has a database where all journal articles, newspaper articles, textbooks, scholarly articles, and websites are all put into one place. You may not know what some of the listed sources above are yet and that is alright! You will learn more about that in 6th grade and beyond in your overall education. But for right now, here is what you need to know about library databases.

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Quick Tips & Shortcuts for Database Searching

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You get an assignment that you need to find sources for but you're nervous your sources aren't credible...So you keep in mind this acronym:
A.A.R.A.
A-- ACCURACY of the source.
A--AUTHENTICITY of the author/writer.
R-- RELEVANCE of the information/institution delivering the message.
A-- AUTHORITY that the source has and are they using or abusing that authority?
OR use the more famous acronym: C.R.A.A.P
Watch this video for more to learn more.

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Check out this video. It does include more on websites but pay close attention to what Nerd Squirrel shares about critiquing news articles.

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This link is a simplified list that you can simply check off when asking yourself about accuracy, authenticity, relevance, and authority of the source. This is one that I keep up when searching for sources to remind me. It's a quick list while the videos go into more details.

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For every credible website, there are dozens chock full of information that's inaccurate, unreliable or just plain nutty. For the unwary, inexperienced journalist or researcher, such sites can present a minefield of possible problems.

With that in mind, here are eight ways to tell if a website is reliable.

1. Look for Established Institutions

The internet is full of websites that were started five minutes ago. What you want are sites associated with trusted institutions that have been around for a while and have a proven track record of reliability and integrity.

Such sites may include those run by government agencies, nonprofit organizations, foundations, or colleges and universities.

2. Look for Sites with Expertise

You wouldn't go to an auto mechanic if you broke your leg, and you wouldn't go to the hospital to have your car repaired. This is an obvious point: Look for websites that specialize in the kind of information you're seeking. So if you're writing a story on a flu outbreak, check out medical websites, such as The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and so on.

3. Steer Clear of Commercial Sites

Sites run by companies and business-their websites usually end in .com-are more often than not trying to sell you something. And if they're trying to sell you something, chances are whatever information they're presenting will be tilted in favor of their product. That's not to say corporate sites should be excluded entirely. But be wary.

4. Beware of Bias

Reporters write a lot about politics, and there are plenty of political websites out there. But many of them are run by groups that have a bias in favor of one political party or philosophy. A conservative website isn't likely to report objectively on a liberal politician, and vice versa. Steer clear of sites with a political ax to grind and instead look for ones that are non-partisan.

5. Check the Date

As a reporter, you need the most up-to-date information available, so if a website seems old, it's probably best to steer clear. One way to check: Look for a "last updated" date on the page or site.

6. Consider the Site's Look

If a site looks poorly designed and amateurish, chances are it was created by amateurs. Sloppy writing is another bad sign. Steer clear. But be careful: Just because a website is professionally designed doesn't mean it's reliable.

7. Avoid Anonymous Authors

Articles or studies whose authors are named are often-though not always-more reliable than works produced anonymously. It makes sense: If someone is willing to put their name on something they've written, chances are they stand by the information it contains. And if you have the name of the author, you can always Google them to check their credentials.

8. Check the Links

Reputable websites often link to each other. You can find out which other websites link to the site you're researching by conducting a link-specific Google search. Enter the following text into the Google search field, replacing "[WEBSITE]" with the domain of the site you're researching:

link:http://www.[WEBSITE].com

The search results will show you which websites link to the one you're researching. If lots of sites are linking to your site, and those sites seem reputable, that's a good sign.

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Here Are 8 Ways You Can Tell If a Website Is Trustworthy

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For every credible website, there are dozens chock full of information that's inaccurate, unreliable or just plain nutty. For the unwary, inexperienced journalist or researcher, such sites can present a minefield of possible problems. With that in mind, here are eight ways to tell if a website is reliable.