Google can be a great resource for finding overviews, reports, and government information. But a basic Google search is going to bring back a lot of biased junk, conspiracy theories, and more. Search Google smarter by using the advanced tricks below to limit sites, domains, remove keywords, specify dates, and more.

        Graphic by Paige Dhyne, Science Librarian at Furman University. CC-BY-ND-SA license.

Authority

• Does the writer have a background in the content they are writing about?
• Are they a professional writer? (e.g., investigative journalist, prize-winning author, or topic writer [e.g., science writer])
• Do they have the education necessary to write about this topic for a general audience?
• Do they write about this topic often? 
• Can you Google the author's name and find more about their writing or their credentials?
   

Bias

• Does the website claim an "editorial point of view"?
• Can you find information about who sponsors the site?
• Is there an "About Us" or "Learn More" section on the site?
• If it's either a print or web a news, magazine, or nonprofit site, can I find more information about its political leanings on mediabiasfactcheck.com ?
   

Content

• Does the writing seem to be crafted using sensationalist, derogatory, or hyperbolic language?
• Does the writer use expletives or "nicknames" for opposing political parties?
• Does the writing cite information in a works cited?
• Does the writing hyperlink out to academic research?
• Does the writing hyperlink to other articles from the same author or website?
   

Date

• How often does the website and its writers produce content on this topic?
• Is this a topic they've covered historically?
• Websites are subject to change quickly: is there a version history or updates made to the page if its a year or so old?
• If there are updates, is the updated content stated or made clear anywhere in the article?