History 17A Smyth

You can evaluate any source using the 5 W's:

• Who: ...wrote it? Are they an expert?
• What: ...is the purpose of this resource?
• Where: ...was this information published? ...does the information come from?
• When: ...was this published or last updated?
• Why: ...is this resource useful? ...is this resource better than other ones?

This infographic from PCC Library explains how different sources are created and shared, including:

• Number published per day
• Whether a source is reviewed and fact-checked
• The authors background and education
• Whether they cite outside sources
• How many words they use
• How much background you need to understand a source