 To be a good journalist, you also need to be a good researcher. Strong research skills are necessary for you to be able to identify good story ideas, find relevant background information and statistics to support your stories, and for fact checking your own work and the work of others. It's important for you to be able to distinguish between different types of sources and to recognize when certain sources are appropriate and credible. As you research, consider questions such as, What type of information do I need? What kinds of sources contain the information that I need? How can I be sure that the information I have found is credible? First, think about the type of information that you need. Each type of source, such as a newspaper article, a scholarly journal article, a blog post, an organizational website, a government website, or even a YouTube video, has different characteristics, was created for different purposes, and can be used in different ways. Certain types of sources may be more appropriate for specific contexts than others. Say you are writing an article on binge drinking among college students. If you wanted general statistics on binge drinking, you might look at the website of the Centers for Disease Control. If you wanted background information on deaths from binge drinking, you might look for news articles. However, you would probably look to scholarly journal articles if you wanted research on the effectiveness of various efforts to reduce binge drinking. You will also want to think about the benefits and drawbacks of using specific types of sources. The purpose of a news article is, of course, to provide the general public with the most up-to-date information on recent developments. However, due to the rush to get information out quickly, news articles can sometimes contain incorrect facts. In contrast, the purpose of a scholarly journal article is usually for a scholar to share the results of their research. It often takes months or years for a scholarly journal article to be written and published. This means it may be less likely to contain errors, but also that you will not be able to find scholarly articles on very recent events. When determining which sources to use, it's important that you carefully consider the credibility of the source. There are different things to look for. First, you want to consider the authority of the source. Who created this source? Was it an individual, an organization? What are the credentials of the author or the creator? Was it written by another journalist or by a research scientist? Was it produced by a company or by the government? Learning as much as you can about the author or creator of the source can go a long way to determining whether or not the source is credible. Next, think about how and why the source was created. What was the purpose and how does that impact the value of the information in the source? Is the source meant to entertain? To educate or inform? To persuade? To sell something? The purpose of the source can help you to determine how credible that source might be. An article about energy-efficient light bulbs can have a very different purpose depending on whether or not it was published in an academic journal or posted on the website of a company devoted to selling green products. You also want to consider the review process for the source. Prior to the source's publication, was it reviewed by anyone for accuracy? While some types of sources are reviewed by editors and fact-checkers prior to publication, others are not, which can help to indicate which sources might be more credible. You also want to consider the currency of the source. In some cases, it is acceptable to use sources that are older, but in others, you need only the most up-to-date information. It is especially important that you carefully consider the credibility of sources that you find online, as there is no one to prevent people from posting inaccurate information online. One type of source to be aware of is known as an advocacy website. This is the website of a group or organization that promotes a specific point of view or agenda. If you use such a source in your work, it is important that you acknowledge the perspective of the source as you use it. Learning how to identify credible and appropriate sources is a vital skill for any journalist, as the public is relying on you to provide accurate and relevant information. Without carefully selecting your sources, you can contribute to the spread of false information and damage your own reputation as a journalist.