How to Find Credible Website Sources

Fact-checking is an important part of research and writing quality academic papers. While students get information from credible sources like scholarly journals, often the research process starts by browsing the internet, which is a vast source of information.

If a student is not careful, they might use false information. After all, not all websites are equally credible. So how does a student find credible website sources? Find out from this informative post.

Determine Your Information Needs

To start working on an assignment, first narrow the topic or find a unique angle to write about. Then determine which type of information will meet your research needs. You must also determine your research goals. For example, do you want to explore a topic in-depth or answer a specific research question?

Once you have a research goal and know the kind of information you need to write a high-quality paper, you can find credible sources.

A Reputable Academic Search Engine Is Your Friend

The most popular search engines are often the go-to options for those who want more information on a particular topic. This is a great strategy, especially when handling a popular topic with articles posted online almost daily. The problem is that when it comes to academic writing, it’s important to back up your views with credible sources, which can be quickly found by using an academic search engine.

Google Scholar and ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center) are examples of academic search engines with resources on most aspects of education, including peer-reviewed articles. When using an academic search engine to research, a student is sure that they are reading trustworthy information that will contribute to ensuring their paper meets education standards.

Seek an Expert’s Opinion

When you buy essay online from a reliable website, you are sure that it will have proper references because a subject expert writes it. You can also be sure that the content is well-researched, has clear citations, and links to supporting evidence. So if you are unsure about the sources you’ve used in your paper, ask an expert to check whether they are credible.

Use Scholarly Databases

When you use a scholarly database, you can be sure that the sources are trustworthy and accepted in academia. This is because you will find peer-reviewed journal articles that have undergone rigorous evaluation by scholars and experts on that topic.

The strict evaluation gives credibility to the sources and ensures high quality is maintained. Peer-reviewed sources also contain current, accurate information, and using them showcases the student’s state of knowledge in that field.

Additionally, peer-reviewed sources meet the current academic standards. Thus, when you use a scholarly database to find information, you will end up with a quality academic paper that translates to a good score.

Use the TRAAP Test

Websites are rich sources of information, but not everything published online is accurate. That is why it’s important to use the TRAAP test to determine whether the information printed on a certain website is credible to use in an academic paper.

Students will use this method to check for timelines, reliability, and the website’s purpose. This test is also great for checking the accuracy of the content and the writer’s authority.

Assess a Website’s Authority and Reputation

When thoroughly assessing a website, first look at the URL. For instance, is it .com, .edu, .gov, or .org? Websites focusing on a commercial aspect often end with .com or the country name, such as .uk. They are often not appropriate sources for academic work.

On the other hand, in academic settings, government and education-affiliated websites are considered credible. However, it’s best to ensure that a website passes the TRAAP test and that if it does, always cite it using an appropriate reference style to show where you got the information.

Additionally, always check the web article for having the author’s name and the publication date. Finally, check that the author can only edit the information.

Cross-Reference

Even if the content from a website passes the TRAAP test, it’s crucial that you take a step further and ensure other reputable sources can verify the information. That means before accepting information as trustworthy, cross-reference with multiple sources. If there is consistency, then the website information is credible.

Evaluate the Reputation of the Source

If used in an academic paper, the source should not damage the credibility of your argument. Instead, it should enrich it and showcase your viewpoint on the subject matter under discussion. Evaluating a source is a way to determine the quality of information on a website. Additionally, a high citation count can also point to a credible source.