Finding information and evaluating the usefulness and reliability of resources

1. Check the title irrelevant

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Relevant

2. Check the author no author given or unknown

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Recognised authority on the topic

3. Check date of text if it hasnt been reviewed / updated and is older than 1 year search again

Reviewed / updated recently within last 1 year

4. Check the content irrelevant to your topic search again

Relevant / supports the points you are making

5. Check accuracy the information is not supported by other sources or referred to in other sources

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The information is supported by other sources; mentioned in other sources and contains links to other websites

6. Audience written for the general reader (newspaper article) & language is informal search again

Written for academics or readers with a strong interest in the topic and written in a formal style and is supported by an organisation

7. The text should be useful: read the text and take notes. Remember to keep a copy of the source details for the
bibliography.