The researcher should make every attempt to verify information provided by a source. Particularly if the source claims revolutionary information that challenges the established norm should this source be verified. The researcher may verify a source by locating multiple independent sources that make the same claim. This check can be difficult to perform on the Internet because the Internet in many ways is based upon connections. Seemingly different sites often may link the the same original source information, so what would appear to be two independent sources is actually only one. As with any research, greater weight should be given to primary sources, such as witnesses to an event, than to secondary sources, such as who learned of the event from others. Also, a website that cites source material has a higher chance of providing accurate information than one that does not given that the author has provided the means to verify the information provided. The follow link provides a useful tool for identifying and debunking false information: http://www.snopes.com/ |