Q. How do I evaluate a source I found online?

Since the internet comprises numerous sites, there are a lot of possible sources to use. However, you should not cite just anything you find in a scholarly paper because most online content is not thoroughly researched and/or is written from a biased perspective. For instance, according to the linked handout, every Web source should be evaluated based on

• Currency ("The timeliness of the information"),
• Relevance ("The importance of the information for your needs"),
• Authority ("The source of the information"),
• Accuracy ("The reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the information"), and
• Purpose ("The reason the information exists").

For more information on those rigorous standards to help you evaluate an internet source for a scholarly essay, please see the following linked handout: