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TCC Library: Identifying web-based resources

Library "How do I...?"

Welcome to TCC Library "How Do I...?"

Find the information you need. Get your questions answered here.

Table of Contents

Need help? Ask us!

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What's the difference "print" and "web-based" sources?

There once were clearer lines between “print” and “web-based” sources. It can be confusing now. Most print newspapers, magazines, and journals also have a web presence. Most of those websites replicate print content and also provide web-only content. Is a blog post on a newspaper’s website a blog post or is it a newspaper article? It can be very hard to tell.

This is the long way of saying — don’t be afraid to ask for help! It may seem like these are easy questions, but they are not. If you try the tips below and you’re still not sure how to identify a source, ask your instructor for help, or ask the Library for help (using the contact information at the bottom of this page).

Find out what you can about the publication.

  1. Look for an About page on the website.
  2. Look at the bottom of the page for a copyright or authorship statement.
  3. Find out if the company, organization, publication or individual has a Wikipedia page to learn more about them.
  4. Find out what you can about the organization, company or individual who publishes the website.

Watch video: Evaluating sources to find quality research (5:28)

Watch the video below. To see it in a larger window, click on the link below.

Library "How do I?" credits

The TCC Library "How do I?" guide is adapted from the Library DIY project created by Meredith Farkas, Amy Hofer, Lisa Molinelli and Kimberly Willson-St. Clair at Portland State University Library. Several Library "How Do I?" pages are adapted from pages within the Portland Community College Library "How do I" project, as well as the Oregon State University Libraries' Library DIY project.

CC BY SA license

Except where otherwise noted, the content in these guides by Tacoma Community College Library is licensed under CC BY SA 4.0.
This openly licensed content allows others to cite, share, or modify this content, with credit to TCC Library. When reusing or adapting this content, include this statement in the new document: This content was originally created by Tacoma Community College Library and shared with a CC BY SA 4.0 license.

Tacoma Community College Library - Building 7, 6501 South 19th Street, Tacoma, WA 98466 - P. 253.566.5087

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