"Popular" Sources
Suggested Sources:
newspapers:
For even more options, visit: https://libguides.holycross.edu/newspapers
- Access World News This link opens in a new window
Local, national, and international news, including the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.
- Boston Globe Current This link opens in a new window
Date(s): 1980-present
Text-only articles from the Boston Globe. - New York Times Current This link opens in a new window
Date(s): 1980-present
Text-only articles from the New York Times. **Blogs are not included.**
magazines & other periodicals:
- Alternative Press Index This link opens in a new window
Date(s): 1991-present
Citations from alternative, left-leaning, and radical journals and magazines.
- EBSCO Politics and Society Magazine Archive [Boston Public Library]"Search across decades of back issues from magazines focusing on political and cultural news, opinion, and analysis. Titles include The Nation, The National Review, The New Republic." To access, sign up for an e-card.
religious publications:
- Atla Religion Database This link opens in a new window
Citations for journal articles, books and book chapters on all religious topics.
- National Catholic ReporterU.S. religious news source, offering an "alternate Catholic" perspective to mainstream media.
Need older articles? You can access the NCR archives back to 1992 through our e-journals list.
multimedia:
- AP Newsroom [Boston Public Library subscription]"Searchable Associated Press content, including 4.6 million photographs (1826-present) as well as graphics, audio (1920-present), and articles (1997-present)." To access, sign up for an e-card.
Lateral Reading is a more nuanced technique of evaluating websites and other kinds of sources.
The video below explains what lateral reading is, why it's important, and how to do it.
Fact Check/Evaluating Websites:
WHO is the author? How are they qualified? What bias may they have?
WHAT is the source? Is it a research report? An entertainment piece? An opinion essay? And what does this tell you about the source's audience, purpose, and potential bias(es) or shortcoming(s)?
WHEN was the source published or updated last? Is there information which seems out-of-date?
WHERE was the source made available? Who publishes it, or hosts the website? What is the domain extension?
The publisher and/or domain can help you determine a website's origin. For example, .gov is the domain for United States government sites and .edu is for US Educational institutions. Note that not all .com sites are unreliable and not all .org sites are reputable -- .org simply means that the website is for a non-profit group.
WHY was this source created? What is the purpose and audience of the source? Who benefits if this source reaches and/or successfully convinces readers?
HOW was this source created? Does it refer you to its sources of information, and/or link you to other credible sources? Can you determine if the original information is represented accurately?