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Is this a Reliable Source?! Researching for College-Level Papers

What is Lateral Reading?

Guiding Questions

  1. What is the sponsoring organization of the website or source? Do you have any prior knowledge about this organization

  2. What can you learn about the sponsoring organization when searching? (Although it’s okay to start with something like the “About” page, you also need to go outside the site!)

  3. What sources did you use to learn about the organization? How do you know that these are good sources?

  4. How do you think the website’s sponsor influences the information provided by the website?

  5. At this point, do you think this website is a strong source of information about your topic? Explain why.

Lateral Reading