How to Find Good Sources

"Confirmation bias is a belief in which someone only accepts facts that corroborate his or her preexisting subjective opinions about something. Any fact or opinion that contradicts this belief is ignored, dismissed as false, or twisted to fit a pre-ascribed agenda."

• Who wrote the page? (Tip: Look under about us, philosophy, background, biography, currency, credentials, etc. links)
• Are they an expert on the subject? (Tip: Google the author or organization to see what others are saying about them)
• Is a particular viewpoint being presented, or is more than one viewpoint being presented? (Tip: Look for emotional language. Does it cause a reaction from you? Is it a reporting of the facts, or opinion? Is there information being purposely left out?)
• What is the purpose, goals, or objectives? Why was this source created? Is it an educational resource?Are they trying to sell something?
• Does the site reflect the agenda of a political, religious, or social group or institution?
• Are the sources for factual information clearly listed? Do they cite their sources or say where the information came from?
• Can facts and figures be verified in another source?
• How does this information compare with other sources of information on the topic?
• How old is the web page? Can you even tell? When was it last updated? Is the site well-maintained? Are there any dead links or error messages on the page?
• Is this information current enough for your research need? 
• What type of domain is the site attached to?
• Is this the best information you can find?

Click on the logo for ways to search Google for more credible sources.

Of course, the biggest question is...have you used the MATC Library??

• We have access to many online sources through our database subscriptions.
• Many of these resources are paid for, and require a login to access, so they are part of the invisible web, and are not available through search engines.
• These can include articles written by experts in their field.
• Some are peer-reviewed, which means other experts in the field have verified the information.
• On the library's website, when you enter your terms in the One Search box, you are searching all the library's resources in print, and most of the electronic resources from this list of databases.