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Western Civilization II: Choosing Credible Sources

This guide was designed as a starting point for researching topics in Western Civilization, Hist102, 1500 - Present

Check Your Sources Carefully

1. AccuracyBelieve-it.com, a fictional website featuring a UFO image and "ITS TRUE!!!" written on the bottom of the page, parodying sensationalist and over-exaggerated news articles and websites commonplace on the internet.
Is the print or online document well-written and free of errors? Are facts and statistical data verifiable?
2. Authority
What are the credentials of the author? What is the domain of the document? (Such as .com, .gov, .org, or .edu)
3. Objectivity
What are the goals of this document? Are there any advertisements? Is the advertiser/sponsor likely to have bias?
4. Currency
When was the website or print document created? How often is the site updated? Are there any broken links?
5. Coverage
Is the content factual or opinion? Has the information been cited correctly?

Adapted from Cornell University Library, Evaluating Web Pages: Questions to Consider