It's tempting to start your primary source research using Google, and you might find some great sources that way. However, when you're looking at websites, ask yourself the following questions to evaluate the source(s) you're considering.
- Is the author of the website clearly identified? (If not, that's a red flag.) Are they an academic historian? Is the website maintained by a historical society, library, or other institution? What information can you find about this person, organization, or institution?
- Take a careful look at the text of the website. Keep an eye out for typos, terminology that has been used incorrectly, and other inaccuracies. On the other hand, remember that a well-designed and well-written site isn't necessarily trustworthy.
- Consider using the Wayback Machine to view screenshots of this website over the past few years.
- If you find an interesting and relevant document (e.g. an image of a poster, a digitized version of a book) on a website that seems unreliable overall, try to seek out the document from another source. Feel free to ask Sarah, the librarian for this course, for help. (selichk1@swat)