We live in an amazing time where you can go to a computer, or pull out your phone, and find a wealth of information at your fingertips. 

But, not all of it is unbiased, well-researched, or even true. Plus, on the general Internet (like Google), you only have access to so much information. 

This screenshot of part of the Deep Web infographic from CNN shows that to access things like databases and academic articles, you'll need some special gear. In our case, this is just your Commonwealth University login information to grant you access. Google and other web browsers can only access a small amount of what's actually available online because they don't pay for access or have login access to things. 

With Google being used everyday by so many people, one of the most common questions the librarians get is "why can't I just use Google?"

And this is a great question! Google is a great starting point for things like: 

• statistics
• government information 
• getting a general idea about the topic you're researching

But not all sites are trustworthy. 

Did you know that anyone can make a .org website? 

You'll want to evaluate the information that you're finding. 

It's really easy to just open up Google, search for your topic, and then just pick something from the results page to use. But, what do you really know about that source? Is it really a "good source" to use for your paper? 

Whether you're using Google, Google Scholar, or even the library's databases, it is important to evaluate your sources. 

Ask yourself: 

• Who wrote this? Why? What can you find out about them? 
   
• Who published this? What's their reputation? 
  • A Google search can tell you a lot about the author and publisher and if you can't find information about them, it might not be the best source to use
     
• Is this source relevant to my topic or am I just trying to make it work? 
  • If it's the latter, talk to your librarian! We can help you find a better source.
     
• What evidence is used in this source? Where did it come from? 
   
• Is there any obvious bias in the source? 
   
• Is the source organized and written well?
   
• How recently was this source published? 
  • For some areas, this is very important - you have to have recent sources. For other areas, this might not matter as much, especially if you're researching a past event or topic.