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Book a research consultation with one of your MSMU librarians!
Email Us - library@msmu.edu
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Coe - Chalon: 310.954.4370
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Drop In
Stop by the Circulation Desk at either library and ask in person.
On the internet, anyone can post information, which can be unreliable and inaccurate.
The amount of information online can be overwhelming; there are currently billions of websites in existence!
When searching the web, you get A LOT of results, many of which may not be relevant.
Many websites may have an agenda, or may be trying to sell you something.
Accuracy
What is the purpose of the site?
Who created the site?
Are the facts accurate?
Authority
What are the credentials of the author(s)/organization who produced the site?
Is contact information for the author(s)/organization provided?
What is the domain of the website?
Currency
When was the site created?
When was it last updated, and is this done regularly?
How current are the links? Do they work?
Coverage
Are the links evaluated?
Is the information cited accurately?
Is there balance with text and images?
Objectivity
What are the goals & objectives of the website?
Are they trying to sell you something?
Is there a bias?
These sites can be reliable sources of information.
Government sites are generally noted with the .gov at the end of the URL, and nonprofits with .org.
With nonprofit organizations, it is important to investigate them thoroughly to ensure that you are getting reliable non-biased information.
Look at things like their funding sources, mission statement, about section to better understand the group.
