Google Scholar provides a simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature. From one place, you can search across many disciplines and sources: articles, theses, books, abstracts and court opinions, from academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, universities and other web sites. Google Scholar helps you find relevant work across the world of scholarly research.
Currency: When was the information published or last updated?
Have newer articles been published on your topic?
Are links or references to other sources up to date?
Is your topic in an area that changed rapidly, like technology or popular culture?
Relevance: Does the information answer your research question?
Does the information meet the stated requirements of the assignment?
Is the information too technical or too simplified for you to use?
Does the source add something new to your knowledge of the topic?
Authority:What are the author’s credentials?
Is the author affiliated with an educational institution or prominent organization?
Can you find information about the author from reference sources or the Internet?
Do other books or authors cite the author?
Accuracy: Are there statements you know to be false?
Are there errors in spelling, punctuation, or grammar?
Was the information reviewed by editors or subject experts before it was published?
What citations or references support the author’s claims?
What do other people have to say about the topic?
Purpose: Is the author’s purpose to sell, persuade, entertain, or inform?
Is there an obvious bias or prejudice?
Are alternative points of view presented?
Does the author omit important facts or data that might disprove the claim?
Does the author use strong or emotional language?
Adapted from "Evaluating Information," Musselman Library at Gettysburg College https://www.gettysburg.edu/library/research/tips/webeval/index.dot
Try this search term: Kinesiology
Try this search term too: fitness and exercise
Try being more specific: "weight training"
Limit your search to academic websites: "soccer coach training" site:.edu
Limit your search to government websites: "nutrition guidelines" site:.gov
