Research for Change Your World Week

1. Check the web domain: 

Some domains have gatekeeper functions which restricts the type of site which can be included.  This means webpages with the domains .edu, .gov and others are more likely to be reliable sources.

Government  (.gov or .mil) - Government websites end in .gov  are among the most reliable sources on the web.  But beware of political sites, their intent is usually used to sway public opinion.

University (.edu) - University/College web sites end in .edu, are usually reliable.  

Company Websites (.com) - Company web sites generally end in .com. These sites are great for information about a particular company. However be aware that company websites are used to promote or sell something, so be sure the information is non-biased.

Special Interest (.org) - While many professional organizations end in .org, there are also many .orgs that are biased and promote a specific agenda.
 

2. Exclude words from your search:

Put - in front of a word you want to leave out. For example, jaguar speed -car
 

3. Search for an exact match

Put a word or phrase inside quotes. For example, "climate change"
 

4. Search for a specific site:

Put "site:" in front of a site or domain.

For example, site:youtube.com or site:.gov or 

saginaw city population site:census.gov
 

5. Search within a specific date range for the most current results:
 

Put "after:" in front of the year you want to limit from

climate change after:2019-01-01.

OR Use the Tools button shown below to set up a date search limit:

6. Click on the three dots next to your search link for more information about the search: