• Determine what makes each source credible or not credible.

You may have to search and research, but once you learn some good sources and methods, you should have success. In addition to searching on the Internet, you also need to make best friends with the reference librarian(s) in your local or college library. Libraries these days subscribe to enormous research databases, and they are often more useful than Internet searches. Ask your librarian if you have access to EBSCOHost -- it has several databases within it, including a huge one for academic research.

For Internet searching:
http://hanlib.sou.edu/searchtools/
At this webpage, you can go immediately to the search sites (first three columns across the top) -- or even better you can scroll down until you see the section called HOW TO SEARCH THE INTERNET. Those are the links to start with. You'll not only learn how to come up with good search terms, but also how to evaluate the webpages you get as results. Some will be good and others will be garbage. You need to know how to tell the difference.

My favorite way to search is to go to Google's advanced search page http://www.google.com/advanced_search?hl=en and put my search words or phrases into the first or second search box (either "all the words" or "exact phrase"). Another is to start out at http://scholar.google.com. However, there many other strategies for searching you can use, and the HOW TO SEARCH THE INTERNET section will help you best.

Learning to use Google or other search engines can save you time and help you learn to find information efficiently. Here are some websites that can teach you how:

http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/FindInfo.html

http://hanlib.sou.edu/searchtools/searchtips.html

http://www.pandia.com/goalgetter/index.html

http://websearch.about.com/mbody.htm?once=true&COB=home&PM=112_100_T

... and one to help you judge whether a particular website's information is worth your time:

http://hanlib.sou.edu/searchtools/evaluate.html

This article might help you start:

http://www.members.cox.net/dagershaw/lol/InfluenceMorePrinciples.html

To determine the credibility of a source, you need to evaluate several factors. Here are some key considerations:

1. Authority and expertise: Determine the credentials of the author or organization behind the source. Look for qualifications, relevant experience, and expertise in the field. Check if they are affiliated with reputable institutions or have published works on the topic.

2. Objectivity and bias: Assess whether the source presents information objectively or if it is biased. Look for any potential conflicts of interest or agendas that may affect the accuracy or objectivity of the information provided.

3. Publication and peer review: Consider the type of publication or platform where the source appears. Peer-reviewed journals and established publishers often have stricter quality control processes, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the information. On the other hand, personal blogs, social media posts, or self-published materials may be less reliable.

4. Currency and timeliness: Determine when the information was published or last updated. Depending on the topic, it is important to have up-to-date information, especially in rapidly evolving fields. Outdated sources could provide inaccurate or incomplete information.

5. Consistency with other sources: Cross-reference the information with other credible sources to ensure accuracy and consistency. If multiple reliable sources corroborate the information, it increases its credibility.

6. Transparency and citations: A credible source should provide references or citations to support its claims. This allows you to verify the information and check the sources' credibility themselves.

7. Bias-checking tools: Several websites provide fact-checking services or evaluate the bias of news sources. These tools can be helpful in assessing credibility, but be sure to check the reliability and objectivity of the fact-checking organization itself.

By considering these factors, you can make an informed judgment on the credibility of a source. Keep in mind that it is advisable to rely on sources with high credibility, especially for important or controversial topics.