Finding Reliable Sources Online - College Level Research - Getting Started!

List of Quality Government Sources

U.S. Census Homepage
Homepage for the United States Census. Includes links to a number of different facets of information. Also includes statistics from the American Community Survey.
Center For Disease Control (CDC)
Government site that houses reports, statistics and news items. Includes just about anything involving disease, mortality, natality, abortion, accidents and safety
Congressional Budget Office (CBO)
Nonpartisan analysis for the U.S. Congress
Bureau of Justice Statistics
Archive of justice stats, great for CJ research. Includes statistics about criminal trials and prisons and other aspects of crime and law enforcement. There are numerous surveys containing data from a wide range of subjects and specific elements of the Justice System
Bureau of Labor Statistics Homepage
This is the homepage the the United States Bureau of Labors Statistics conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor
Government Accountability Office
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent, nonpartisan agency that works for Congress. Often called the "congressional watchdog," GAO investigates how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars. The head of GAO, the Comptroller General of the United States, is appointed to a 15-year term by the President from a slate of candidates Congress proposes
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS)
It is the mission of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) to enhance and protect the health and well-being of all Americans. We fulfill that mission by providing for effective health and human services and fostering advances in medicine, public health, and social services.

What Questions Should You Ask About a Source?

Be sure to ask these questions about every source you come across!

•WHO created the source?
•Is there an author?
•Are there credentials, and if so, what kind?

•WHEN was the source created?
•Is there a date, and if so, is it relevant to your topic?

•WHY was the source created?
•Inform
•Entertain
•Sell for Profit

•WHO was the source created for?
•Professionals
•Consumers
•Experts, Scholars & Students

•Are there other sources cited to support the argument?
•Are there advertisements?

Online Open Internet Sources

In this day and age of enormous amounts of information online, it can be difficult to decipher which online sources you can trust!

It is good practice to critically evaluate any online source you want to use, whether it's for academic work or personal use. There are many options for finding articles through our subscription databases, and those databases are filled with materials safe to use for research!

Credible Internet Sources LibGuide
This LibGuide lists reputable online sources organized by subject.

Here is a quick guide for evaluating reliable sources.

Government Websites (.gov)

All legitimate government websites end in .gov. Examples include: Census Bureau, Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), Center for Disease Control (CDC), Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Congressional Budget Office (CBO), and the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

Organizational Sources (.org)

Many organizational websites are quality sources that you can use as sources. These websites end in .org. Examples include: Pew Research Center, Open Research Library, National Public Radio (NPR), and Internet Archive.
NOTE: Some organizational websites are very biased. Ensure you are evaluating these sources and if you are unsure, ask a librarian!

Commercial Websites and Network Websites (.com & .net)

It is good practice to avoid .com websites unless you specifically need information from that website. Most commercial sites are for profit and do not prioritize quality information.
Network websites end in .net and often have the same priorities as .com websites. Be cautious when using these websites.

Educational Websites (.edu)

Colleges and university websites end in .edu, making them easy to identify. Given the academic nature of these institutions, they are generally reliable sources.

Sites with Advertisements

Websites with excessive advertisements should be avoided. The only exception to this is news agency websites.

If you are still skeptical, ask a librarian! Alternatively, you can do a quick Google search to see if the information you found is validated elsewhere.

College Level Research - Getting Started!: Finding Reliable Sources Online