There are a few ways to search for a website related to your topic.

Google - search for a couple of topic words and look for organizations and associations related to the topic. Or use the Advanced Search and use the domain field to search for .edu, .org, or .gov.

Wikipedia - Look at the External Links for suggestions. Don't use the Wikipedia site for a source!

Don't forget to evaluate the website before using it as a source.

Before you use a website, make sure it's authoritative, credible, and current.

Authoritative

• Who sponsors a site? Sites created by individuals are suspect. Look .edu, .gov, or .org sites.
• Are the authors or editors listed? Their names and contact information should be available.
• Are the authors or editors qualified to speak on the topic? Their credentials should be listed.

Credible

• Does the information on the site make sense? It shouldn't be completely different from other reliable sources you've read, e.g., conspiracy theories. Use your common sense and question the content.
• Are there lots of misspellings, grammatical errors and typos? A professional, authoritative author or organization shouldn't have these.

Current

• When was the information last updated? The last publication date should be available somewhere, usually at the bottom of the page. Don't use outdated information.
• Does the website appear to be active? There are a lot of abandoned websites that are picked up in Google searches.

Need help? Then use the library's Ask Us service. Get help from real people face-to-face, by phone, or by email.