CNST 1130: Work in Canadian Society

Google can be a great source of high quality information. However, anyone can create content for the web. For this reason, we must carefully evaluate the websites we include in our academic assignments.

When evaluating a website, ask yourselves the following questions:

1. Who authored the website?
   • What are their qualifications? Are they an expert in their field?
2. What is the website's purpose?
   • Is the website's aim to sell you something? Convince you of the author's opinions? Share research findings?
3. When was the website published?
   • Is the information current? Does it reflect recent research on the topic?
4. Is the content well researched?
   • Does it include citations?

For more information, see the library's online tutorial entitled Can I Use This? Evaluating Your Sources (see below).

Google searches can yield a lot of results. This can be overwhelming. To hone your search, use the techniques outlined in the Tips for CNST Research section.

Google's Advanced Search also allows you to narrow your search in helpful ways. For example, the site or domain: option restricts your search to specific website or set of websites (e.g. .gc.ca restricts your search to Government of Canada websites).