Books are reliable sources. Go to a library and get one!
Or you can use one of the awesome websites linked on the BLMS History Day "Mega Links" page.
Or you could search the internet using SEARCH SKILLS to help you find the best sources from the millions and billions of options. WARNING: When you search on your own you must first determine if the source is RELIABLE.
When you use a search engine like Google to find your own sources YOU MUST analyze the site first to determine if it's reliable.
Who authored the site? Look for an “About” page.
Who published the site? This is often at the bottom of the page. Also check the domain name & suffix (the suffix is the .edu .com .mil .org .gov)
What is the purpose of the website? Sales? Public service? Scholarly information? Promote a cause?
Does the author cite sources? Is there advertising? Does it link to other reliable sources?
Look at the index, table of contents, chapter titles.
Look for connection to the theme & historical context.
Search for numerous keywords (topic & historical context)
Make sure to actually READ the source!
When reading a website use control-F to quickly search for keywords and names.
Write down the who, what, when, where, why, how/
Think about how it all fits together. What's the heart of your topic? What's the impact? Build-up? Background? How did part of the world change as a result?
Take all the notes the source provides. Some sources only give a few notes, some give pages.
THINK and WONDER as you read and take notes.
Quotes come from sources, NOT googling your topic and the word quote.
When you write down a quote be sure to keep track of who said it, where they were, when they said it and other details to support.
Sources lead to more sources.
Sometimes a source has a bibliography to their sources. Look at it!
Secondary sources often refer to Primary Sources. Look for them!