Some things to consider in evaluating all types of sources*:
Currency: Is the information current and up-to-date?
Relevance: Does the information have anything to do with your topic?
Authority: Is it authoritative?
Accuracy: Is reliable and true?
Purpose: Why does the information exist?
Check the acronym. Did your website pass the CRAAP Test?!
*Criteria adapted from the CRAAP Test, Meriam Library, California State University, Chico
Get Started on your Research
Using Google, Yahoo, or Lexis-Nexis, find newspaper or other general media articles (like Dateline stories or articles in online news sources) on your topic. This is an important step in your research quest, but you should remember the tips from the librarian regarding how you evaluate the reliability of your sources.
Examples of primary legal authority include constitutions, statutes, and case law.
Primary Authorities are:
Constitutions
Court opinions
Legislation/statutes
Administrative Rules and Regulations
Court Rules