The internet is a great research tool. It gives us the ability to get information almost instantly. But the availability of information online doesn’t mean that everything we read there is true, valid, and credible. In fact, we should be wary of using information from the internet, especially if the information is to be used for serious academic research and the likes.
As early as now, we should be aware of the simple ways by which we can check whether the sources of the information we get online have the authority to lay a claim or to have an assertion on certain topics and issues.
Basically, the three most important things to determine are the authority, accuracy, and the motivation of the web source in giving out information.
Checking for authority:
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Does the website clearly specify which company or organization owns it?
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Does the website have an About Us page where pertinent information about the company or the organization should be found?
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Does the website contain anything that would prove that the company or organization that owns it is legal and legitimate?
Checking for accuracy:
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Are the articles written nicely and with minimal spelling and grammatical errors?
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Is the website updated?
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Does the website state the expertise of the writer of the articles on it?
Checking for motivation:
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Is the article written in a fair and balanced manner?
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Are the ads clearly separated from the content of the article?
It is relatively easy to check out web sources. Keep in mind that the internet is a public forum that people have an easy access to, so do not use web sources hastily. Always verify and find a backup. In the long run, the research paper you are working on would be more acknowledged if you can clearly defend the validity of the information you included there.
