When selecting sources, keep these aspects in mind:
Popular vs. Scholarly
Purpose: current events, entertainment, summary vs. research
Audience: general vs. scholars, researchers, students
Authors: journalists, often unnamed vs. researchers, always named
Characteristics: length, language, citations, peer-reviewed
Authority
What is the author's background about the topic? Is s/he an expert?
Currency
Is the information current? Or dated? Does this affect the research?
Objectivity
Is the author objective about the topic? Or does s/he have a particular point of view? How does this affect the research?
Coverage
Does the information cover all aspects of the topic? Or only a finite portion?
Accuracy
Is the information accurate? Is it verifiable from other sources?
Relevance
Is the information relevant to the topic? Or does it veer off-track?
