1. Reliable vs. Unreliable Sources

2. What are sources?
Sources are references and evidence a writer uses in his or her research that influence and support their work.
Examples of Sources?
Books – Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin
Articles – The LA Times, Time Magazine
Journals - Ebsco
Interviews – First or second hand interviews
Pictures – uses for analysis and support

3. Why Cite? To provide authenticity/credibility to research
To provide compelling support for one’s topic or argument
Organized citing allows one’s sources to be verified by the readers
Citation limits plagiarism
Proper citation saves the writer lots of academic and legal problems

4. Where do we find sources?
Libraries
Digital Library
Internet Websites
Newspapers
Video Collections (ex. Documentaries)
The Community (ex. Local government offices like city hall)

5. What makes a source reliable?
Known author
Part of a respected academic community
Ex. Associated with Universities
Rely on research
Printed by established publishing companies
Provides verifiable evidence/honesty about bias
Part of information centers
Author’s job is on the line.

6. What Can make a source unreliable?
Are extremely biased
No author
Independent blogs (not all of the time)
Though convenient, .com and .org websites can often be unreliable but there are exceptions (ex. NYTimes.com)
Lack evidence and are purely opinion based
Do not cite their own sources

7. When to use “unreliable” sources
You may use unreliable sources to make a point in your writing
By using an unreliable/popular source you may address a counter argument
When gathering a variety of opinions/perceptions on a subject