When it comes to finding resources for university assignments, you need to consider how authoritative the source is.

Not all information is credible or true, and sources vary widely in their currency, relevance, authority, accuracy and bias. Use these criteria to evaluate your sources before deciding if they are suitable to use in your assignment.

CurrencyIs the resource up-to-date? Does it consider the latest research in your field? Some disciplines advance more quickly than others. Currency is more important in some assignments than others.
RelevanceWhat is the source about: is it relevant for your topic? Does it have the information you need? Consider the intended audience. A resource written for young children will not be relevant for your assignment.
AuthorityCan you find out who the author is, what their qualifications are and who they are affiliated with? Is the writing skewed toward use of facts or opinion? If it is a journal article, is it from a reputable, peer-reviewed journal?
AccuracyIs the resource accurate and precise? Is the information properly referenced?
BiasThink about why the resource was created. Is the author trying to convince you of their opinion, or trying to sell you something? Did they receive funding from a corporation to conduct the research? These factors could make the resource more biased and less objective.

Evaluating resources

Evaluating websites

 

Now that you’ve evaluated your resources, you can starting building a list of references that you have used in your assignment.