The experts at the Nerdify reviews believe that it is an art that must be mastered by using logic and writing a dozen research papers. Nevertheless, identifying a good source online (or when browsing through the books) is not an easy task because it may be good in general terms, yet finding something that will suit your essay paper is not the same task. When you think of finding a good source, ask yourself about why it matters and what information is made available to you in terms of the author’s credibility. Keeping all these things in mind, we came up with a list of helpful source identification tips.
- See If You Can Identify The Author. Our Nerdify reviews team knows that the first step is to learn more information about the author. It is the worst thing when you find a good blog and have some “Admin” or “Lucy” instead of an author. While your source can be good and contain good information, citing something like that is not good and cannot be considered a reliable academic reference. Try to seek information about your author’s credibility and include this information in your citation. Alternatively, copy some text parts and see if you can obtain the original source from the search engine.
- Is Your Source Biased? While it is not the primary point that you must use when identifying a good reference, try to analyze whether your source has some bias and reflects information regarding your assignment. If you talk about Politics or Legislation, it is way too easy to get trapped by finding a biased source. It can include specific information that will not reflect the general point. While you may include it in your paper, it is better to take some time and read before you think that your citation is good enough.
- Is it Available As a Publication? Since the majority of our sources relate to online references, it is recommended to see if it has been published. Our Nerdify Reviews team recommends using Google Scholar, JStor, or Pubmed to use several keywords or checking your author’s name to make sure that he or she has some publications. Sometimes it helps to find out more about your author and see an unabridged original. We always check things twice before we cite anything to ensure that we talk about the first-hand source.
- Can You Find Peer-Reviewed Journals? It is best to turn to scientific magazines or journals even if you are writing about subjects like Fashion, Media Studies, or anything that relates to blogging or cooking. Even though you might obtain various Youtube or multimedia sources, it is good to include at least 1–2 peer-reviewed sources, which will always stand above other digital references. Try to search your quotes online to see if you can find anything scientific. It will help you to find alternatives. Make sure to see the comments and look for any critique that may be available. The majority of scientific databases also show you where your source has been quoted, which is quite helpful when looking for even more references.
- Does Your Source Include Counter-Opinions? It is another good aspect that must be analyzed. When we look for good sources that relate to a particular topic, our Nerdify reviews team analyzes various counter-opinions. If it includes only one point, then it easily becomes biased. For example, if you have to write about gun control in the United States, a good source will include both opinions and provide enough information to keep things in balance. Try to pick some sources that have it all and read the parts before the conclusion to make sure that you choose the right thing!
- Does it Include Any References? Our secret trick when writing a college paper or even a lengthy dissertation is taking a look at the internal Bibliography or the list of sources that have been used by the source that we have discovered. It is just like the Netflix movie recommendation that helps you to learn something new by using what you have already seen. For example, when you write about teenage violence, look at the references, and see what can be taken for your paper. It works just like a magic thread!
- Can It Be Found Somewhere Else? Once you find a good source, check if it can be found anywhere else. The same works when you cite your information. If it has been cited way too often, it is good to paraphrase things to avoid possible plagiarism risks. For example, when you check with Turnitin, you will have lots of similarities if your source has been quoted everywhere. It is an important aspect of choosing a good source that we have mentioned, wishing to keep you safe!
