Who to Trust?

The internet is a vast wilderness of information. The daunting task is to decide what information is accurate and updated. According to John Hopkins University library website, you should consider the following.

1. Author- is the author an expert in his/her field, if not does he/she have references that are reliable?
2. The Publishing Body- Is the newspaper or journal the writer is working for credible and unbaised?
3. Be aware of Bias- For example- If you are looking at a corporate Web site, assume that the information on the corporation will present it in the most positive light.
4. The Article itself- Does the writer sound educated, does he/she sound unbiased, does she use reliable references?
5. Accuracy- Is the methodology outlined in the document is appropriate to the topic and allows the study to be duplicated for purposes of verification?
6. Currency- Is the information accurate and relevant to the current time period. Ask yourself if the information you are researching updated every year or time sensitive.

For more details, consult the John Hopkins Library Guide to Internet Research