Google is a good way to discover Government reports and statistics. But not all the of the information you find on the Internet is accurate, up-to-date and reliable.
It is important to evaluate your information before you decide to use it in your assignment.
Ask yourself:
- Authority - Who is the author? What is their point of view?
- Purpose - Why was the source created? Who is the intended audience?
- Publication & format - Where was it published? In what medium?
- Relevance - How is it relevant to your research? What is its scope?
- Date of publication - When was it written? Has it been updated?
- Documentation - Did they cite their sources? Who did they cite?
Always check the URL of a website to determine what type of site the information is coming from:
.edu.au : an educational institution
.ac.uk : a UK academic site
.gov.au : a government body
.org : an organisation
.com or .co. : a commercial site
.net : a network
Is it published by a reputable author or organisation?