The internet is a great way to create, access and share information. The problem with this is anyone can create and share content on the internet. If you plan on using information found on a website or social media, you must evaluate that resource. This is particularly true if you plan to cite this information in a paper or if you plan on passing this information along to others.
STOP
Investigate the Source
Find better coverage
Trace claims, quotes, and media back to the original context
Do you understand all sides of an argument? There are several databases that provide overviews of controversial or debatable topics.
What do you know/ what can you find out about the author or publisher?
Why was this resource created?
Do you or the publisher hold bias on the subject?
The following websites can help you investigate a particular news outlet.
How do you evaluate the trustworthiness of a news source if it the journalist's source has requested to remain anonymous?
We can't verify the facts that have been published so we need to evaluate the author and news organization.
Perform an internet search of the keywords or argument of the source you are examining:
Can you verify this information elsewhere? The following links can help you to verify facts or claims.
Trace the information back to the original source:
When you find the source:
What about pictures? A Google Reverse image search can help you identify the source of an image or other locations where the image is used.
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