Add the phrases site:.gov or site:.edu to Google searches limit the results to trustworthy sites.
Here are some web links that will help you with your Controversial Issues paper.
When writing about controversial topics, it is helpful to include factual data. The easiest way to find this information on the internet, is to limit a Google search to just government websites.
To do this you would add the phrase "site:.gov" to your keywords in Google.
Example to type into the Google search box:
Abortion statistics site:.gov
How to Evaluate Website Information
To evaluate a website, Ask the questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why?
WHO? Who is creating or publishing the website? Look for clues.
WHAT? WHAT is the purpose of this website? What is it about? (Look for "About US")
WHAT type of website is this? Check the domain to see what type of website it is.
The most trustworthy domains are:
· A page authored by an institution (.edu)?
· A page authored sponsored by a government agency (.gov)?
WHERE? WHERE did the information come from? Does the website include references or state the information origin or source? Is the source given a reliable or trustworthy source of information?
WHEN? WHEN was this page or resource created or updated? Is the information outdated or links not working?
WHY? WHY was this webpage or resource created?
· Does the page include a mission or a purpose statement
Use this checklist to determine if a website is a credible resource.
| Does the person, institution or agency responsible for a site have the qualifications and knowledge to do so? | |
| Is the author of the page identified? | Yes No |
| Is contact information for the author provided? | Yes No |
| Does the author state his/her qualifications or credentials? | Yes No |
| Check the domain. Can you ascertain where the document is published? | Yes No |
| The author should be clear about the purpose of the information presented in the site. Some sites are meant to inform, persuade, state an opinion, entertain, or parody something or someone. | |
| What is the purpose of the site and does the content support it? | Yes No |
| Does the domain name of the site indicate its purpose? | Yes No |
| Is the site well organized? | Yes No |
| Are the links appropriate and up to date? | Yes No |
| Is the site geared toward a specific audience ( students, scholars, general reader)? | Yes No |
| It is important to know when a site was created, when it was last updated, and if all of the links are current. | |
| Is the date the information was placed on the web given? | Yes No |
| Is the date the information was last revised given? | Yes No |
| Are the links up-to-date? | Yes No |
| If the information is dated is it still relevant? | Yes No |
| It is the responsibility of the reader to beware of the information presented. Be sure to differentiate fact from opinion. | |
| Is the institution affiliated with a known organization or institution? | Yes No |
| If statistics and other factual information are presented, are references given? | Yes No |
| From the reading you have already done on the subject does the information on the site seem accurate? | Yes No |
| Objective sites will present information with a minimum of bias, without the intention to persuade. | |
| Is the information presented without a particular bias? | YesNo |
| Does the site avoid advertising that may be a conflict of interest with the content? | YesNo |
| Does the site avoid trying to persuade or sell something? | YesNo |