Make sure you evaluate the information you find and use it wisely in your own research.
Consider:
1. Type of source: scholarly, popular, news?
Peer-reviewed, scholarly publications carry more weight as research resources.
2. Type of article: research, review, commentary/opinion piece?
Research articles report original research. Review articles summarize current knowledge on a particular area or review a particular item (i.e. book review). Commentary or opinion pieces present a personal point of view. That can still be valuable, but
3. Publisher: University affiliation, Trade press?
University book and journal presses publish well-vetted, academic material. Trade presses publish for a mass audience.
4. Cited by others?
Items cited the most are often of greatest scholarly influence. Web of Science and Google Scholar allow citation searching.
