We know you use it.
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And that's ok!
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Well, it's ok to a certain extent.
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If you're unfamiliar with your topic or assignment, it's fine to use Wikipedia
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or random sources you find from a search engine to get a basic understanding.
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But, if you cite these sources in a paper,
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your professors, most likely, will not take it very seriously.
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That's because anyone can publish on the web and you don't want to use just any source for
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your project.
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College-level assignments require college-level sources, which are written by
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well-respected researchers and experts, usually in scholarly articles.
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But sometimes, articles from reputable newspapers, magazines, or web sources can
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also be acceptable.
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So how can you use the web to your advantage to find these respectable sources?
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Be smart and evaluate!
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There's no easy answer as to what a "good" web source and a "bad" web source is.
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But a little bit of judgment and research can go a long way.
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Start by asking: Who wrote this and what is the purpose of the website?
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If the website doesn't tell you about the author, try a Google search.
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Does the author have expertise in what he or she is writing about? Elite publications?
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This indicates the author is an authoritative source.
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You also want to make sure the website is well-known and respected.
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For example, if the URL you're looking at ends in something like .blogspot.com,
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you probably want to do a little research before citing that web page
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because anyone can sign up for a Blogger page.
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and write about anything they want, regardless of their qualifications.
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where you'll find hundreds of subject-specific encyclopedias.
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You should also consider bias. Is this information trying to persuade you of something?
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At first glance, SweetSurprise.com seems purely informational.
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But, if you go to the About Us page,
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you'll see it's run by the Corn Refiners Association, who if you think about it,
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have a financial stake in presenting only positive information about high-fructose
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corn syrup because they are trying to sell corn-based products.
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You might try finding a source that is less biased than this one.
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And be sure to think about where the author is getting his or her information from.
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Are there sources listed? Are the sources themselves from reliable sources?
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You are making the effort to get good, authoritative information, so you probably
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don't want to use something that cites Wikipedia as a reference.
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Also, check the date! Is it current enough to be relevant to your research?
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Could there be newer information?
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If you're researching global warming and are using a source from 2003,
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you might be missing out on more up-to-date information.
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But, if your topic is ancient Greek sculptures, there probably hasn't been much
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groundbreaking research in the last several decades, so an older source is most likely ok.
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You might think of other ways to evaluate your web source. Great!
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Being a little critical is what scholarly research is all about.
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Learning to evaluate sources is a central aspect of your college career.
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It takes time and experience, but the Oviatt library can help.
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If you're having a hard time understanding web evaluation or need help finding reputable
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sources, be sure to ask a librarian for help.
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