Finding Reliable Sources

Credible in providing the information necessary for your topic Fair Objective Lacks biases/motives Quality control Identify suspicious or questionable sources

A good source should identify as much of the following as possible: Author’s name Author’s title/position Author’s Organizational Affiliation Date of page creation/version Author’s contact information Indicators of information quality

Anonymity Lack of Quality Control Negative Metainformation All reviews are critical—one-sided Bad grammar or misspelled words Carelessness ignorance

CARS Credibility Accuracy Reasonableness Supports

Goal: authoritative source; good evidence that you trust! Known/respected author—trustworthy Author’s credentials Evidence of quality control Organizational support

Goal: information that is correct today Up-to-date Factual Detailed/exact Comprehensive Audience and purpose: reflected intention of completeness and accuracy

Goal: engages subject thoughtfully and reasonably; concerned with the truth Fair/reasoned Balanced/objective No conflict of interest Absent of fallacies or a slanted tone

Goal: provides convincing evidence that you can triangulate (find other sources that support it) Listed sources/corroboration Contact information Documentation supplied

Click the following link and identify the information provided on the site that proves it’s a reliable source:

Are these sources reliable?? articles/symptoms-of-depression.htm =123436,00.html

Beware of what you read on the internet Search for indicators of trustworthiness!! Make sure your source is meaningful to your research!!

Your topic is acid rain and its effect on automobile paint. Would you be more likely to find relevant information in:  A brochure advertising Ford’s newest “Green” models  A National Geographic article on changing weather patterns  A study conducted by BMW on exterior paint for cars  ICAR research on automobile safety in hurricane force wind and rain

For a research paper on the history of the sport of lacrosse, which website will be the most relevant and reliable?  (home page of the Great Atlantic Lacrosse Company, which sells lacrosse equipment)  (home page of US Lacrosse; the governing body over men and women’s lacrosse teams in the US)  (website of Lacrosse University in Bay St. Louis, MS)  (website of manufacturer of lacrosse equipmentwww.warriorlacrosse.com