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SEARCHING THE WEB:
There are many questionable sources of information on the internet -- but there are also some really great ones, if you know where and how to look.
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 Is there information which seems out-of-date?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?
SOCIAL MEDIA: