In general, for all formats:
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Is the source scholarly? If so, then many of the questions regarding accuracy or reliability are embedded in the nature of a scholarly source.
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Is the writing clear and free of grammatical and typographical errors?
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Do the facts in other sources support the facts presented in this source? If things don't match up, you will need to determine which is the better source.
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Are the sources for statistics and facts documented so you can verify them in another source? (It’s a good idea to do this).
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Are quotations attributed to named people? Be sure to track down the authority of those people as well.
For books:
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What evidence of research is provided? Look for references or a bibliography / works cited, endnotes or footnotes.
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Have book reviews indicated that the book offers accurate, reliable information?
For periodical articles:
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What evidence of research is provided? Look for references or a bibliography / works cited, endnotes or footnotes.
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Is there evidence of bias or propaganda? (See the Purpose guide for more details)
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Did the article undergo peer review?
For websites:
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What other sites have links back to this site? Using Google, type in “link:” immediately followed by the website address.
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Is the website well-organized and easy to navigate?
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What are the author(s) research methods?
