Can I use sources from the internet?
Be sure you check your writing assignment first. If your instructor tells you to only use scholarly articles, you should avoid using websites for your research. Instead, Search the Library Catalog for books and access articles through the Library Databases.
Why use library sources?
While you always need to be looking at sources with a critical eye, using library resources gives you a boost in the right direction. Libraries are filled with reliable, authoritative materials both in their physical shelves as well as digital collections. Plus, the library catalog and digital databases provide easy-to-use tools to help you narrow down your searches to find quality resources quickly.
Currency : How current is the information? Pay attention to when the book or article was published. Information in certain fields can become outdated quickly. All published materials, digital and physical should have a date of publication listed. Our library catalog and most databases offer some sort of date filtering that allows you to look for resources within a certain time period.
Relevance : Is this information relevant for your paper? What is the point/agenda of the article? Is the information appropriate for your scholarly needs? Check for an abstract, or summary. Are there any subject terms or subject keywords provided? Do they match your research topic?
Authority : Who is responsible for the information? What is the author's background? Does the info belong to a larger organization or website? Is the information peer-reviewed? Database articles may provide author affiliations, or list what organizations they are researching for. You can also perform a search on an author to see their credentials. Our databases will also include filters to remove non peer-reviewed resources.
Accuracy : How accurate is the information? Is the information free of grammatical and spelling errors? Did the author include sources for their information? How comprehensive is the information? Scholarly works will always include references. And those references should point to other scholarly works. While non-academic sources may be listed--especially if the author is quoting a cultural figure--the majority of references should lead to other academic works.
Purpose: Why was the information created? Is the information biased in any way? Is it trying to sell you something? Note any advertisements included in your sources. Scholarly resources should never include ads.
Finding and evaluating sources on the web can be challenging. Be mindful of the domain name of the website you are using. Sites that end in .gov, .edu are generally trustworthy. Be critical of websites ending in .com, .net, and even some ending in .org. Be especially critical of sites ending in .com.co, as these are often fake websites.
Now that you've formed your research question, your next step is to find sources for your paper. Depending on the assignment, your professor may require that you have a certain number of scholarly sources cited in your paper. This guide will give you an overview of scholarly resources and how to evaluate the content you find online. Remember, scholarly resource can be found in the library catalog or through our online database subscriptions. If you need any help in finding research, please contact the librarians.