Evaluting sources 

As per the IB EE guide - Using the internet as a resource for finding information is more and more commonplace, and it is a tremendous resource. However, it must be used critically and with care. One important thing to be aware of is that unlike resources found in a library in printed form, those found on the internet may not have been through a review or editing process.

Students should:

• know appropriate search engines to use

• not rely exclusively on sources found on the internet

• have a clear and focused research question to help them search more directly on the internet (given the amount of information available it is easy to be overwhelmed)

• critically evaluate the reliability and validity of the information presented on the internet

• keep a detailed record of all references, in accordance with the IB’s minimum requirements, ensuring that the URL of where the source was located is written down correctly. This includes recording the date that the site was accessed. The Researcher's reflection space (RRS) is a good tool for supporting this practice. (“Home”)