Wondering how to find reliable sources for academic writing? Here, you’ll get a list of databases and reliable websites for research and some tips on finding reliable sources for research.
What Is a Credible Source?
This is a vital question for every student. When we say “a credible source,” we mean a website, a book, a newspaper, or a magazine that we can completely trust. The source’s author is usually an expert in the field, so you can be entirely sure that the information is relevant and valid.
We differentiate between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources.
🥇 Primary sources are first-hand works, that existed at a specific time. They can also be pieces that express research ideas or opinions.
Еxample: literary works, podcasts, diaries, census, and statistics.
🥈 Secondary sources are second-hand documents of an event or topic. They give an analysis or discussion of primary sources.
Еxample: journal review articles, newspaper articles, and books.
🥉 Tertiary sources put together primary and secondary sources. They have often been condensed and rewritten in a more explanatory form.
Example: textbooks, fact books, almanacs, dictionaries, and encyclopedias.
Why Is It Important to Use Credible Sources in Research?
It is crucial to use credible sources while working on your research: you need to back up your argument with trustworthy evidence. It can only be possible if the sources you use are reliable and their credibility is indisputable.
How Do You Know a Source Is Сredible?
If you want to be sure that a website is credible, look for .edu or .gov in the URL address. These domain extensions mean that the website belongs to a government or educational institution, so you can trust it. It is also a good idea to make sure that the website is updated and structured. If you see the opposite signs and the texts have grammatical or formatting mistakes – you probably can’t trust that source.
Why Are Government Websites Reliable?
Government websites are reliable due to stringent regulations, verified information sources, and a commitment to accuracy. Rigorous fact-checking, data authentication, and transparency in content creation uphold credibility. Also, these sites often provide official documents, statistics, and updates, ensuring trustworthy information dissemination for public reliance.”
What Are Non-Credible Sources?
Non-credible sources are the ones that you can’t trust. These websites contain information that isn’t proven. There is no evidence or backup facts for the information mentioned there. It is dangerous to use non-credible sources while doing your research, as they might be misleading. As a result, your research might be considered biased or even wrong.
What Are Some Examples of Unreliable Sources?
Unreliable sources often have a strange design. The links are broken, and you see grammar and spelling errors. These websites probably lack authors or sources of information. Non-credible sources are not associated with credible institutions or organizations.
How to Find Credible Sources?
We have prepared a list of criteria to pay attention to while working on your research. But for starters, you can look through free essay samples on your topic and use the sources listed in them. If you aim to find the most credible works, keep reading!
🔎 The depth of the source
Keep in mind the depth of an article, not only the content that is included in it. Look at the length and relevance of the piece. It is always a good idea to notice if there is a reference list and an abstract.
🔎 The readers
Think about the people who are going to read the article. A target audience means a lot to authors. If the writer has a specific goal, there might occur biased data and views.
🔎 The goal of the article
Don’t forget to pay attention to the aim of the source. How is the writer trying to achieve their goal? What techniques do they use? Are they trying to influence you somehow or not?
🔎 The author
Try to consider the author of the source. Think about the author’s reputation. Look through their other works.
🔎 The reputation of the source
It is not easy to evaluate how reputable the source is. You could start with a general idea of where the material is published. Look at the website: it could be an official university page or a less trusted platform.
🔎 Relevance
Don’t miss the date of the article! The relevance of the source directly influences its credibility. Findings from five or more years ago may be hard to trust.
🔎 Proof
Concentrate on the facts. Look for the data which proves the author’s point, and never trust persuasive passages without additional info to back them up.
The List of 60 Credible Sources For Students
We decided to help you out and prepare a list of 60 credible sources in different fields. Keep on reading, and you will find trustworthy resources for research papers or any other type of written work. We also included reliable news and scientific websites. All the best sources are on this list for you.
10 Examples of Reliable Sources for Research Papers
One of the key characteristics of the research paper is using credible sources to support your ideas. Below, you will find plenty of useful websites for your writing:
- Taylor&Francis Online
The website is popular among researchers. The website contains reviewed articles from different journals. - SAGE Publishing
This publisher is independent. But it opens you access to academic journals and much more! It is also reputable, as it updates its database every year. - JSTOR
This website is a library of different sources. It has books, articles, and journals. The access is limited, but the resource offers a curated selection of works. - Google Scholar
It’s a search engine that presents academic works on any topic. Google Scholar is a free tool. Besides, it provides you with any publishing format. - Academia
This platform is similar to Google Scholar. You can find and download any paper from it. Unfortunately, sometimes the writers upload only a part of their writing piece. - Scopus
It is a database of peer-reviewed sources. Note that they only provide abstracts and citations for free. To get the complete work, you need to review the terms. - Google Books
It is the world’s most extensive index of full-text books. It provides you with an accessible overview of the book and several options for where you can buy it. You get a list of other editions and similar books as well. - WorldWide Science
It’s a global science gateway. Its goal is to accelerate scientific discovery and progress through an international partnership. It also aims to enable federated searching of national and international scientific databases and portals. - Wolfram Alpha
WolframAlpha helps to compute expert-level answers using breakthrough algorithms, knowledgebase, and AI technology. You can get information and compare any objects, characters, films, rules, formulae, etc. - ResearchGate
It is a research publication database with 135+ million publication pages, 20+ million research, and 1+ million questions with answers. If you need to find a publication, just enter a title, author’s name, or research area.
10 Reliable Historical Websites
Writing a paper on history? Check out the websites below! We are sure you will find a lot of interesting facts, documents, and other materials on any period and topic.
- The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
This is a website of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American Science. Here you can find multiple resources based on periods and topics. It also has an online journal called History Now. The journal features essays by top American history researchers for teachers, students, and other interested readers. - RRCHNM
RRCHN is part of the Department of History and Art History at George Mason University. RRCHN creates online pages and open-source digital tools to advance history education and improve historical understanding. It also aims to inspire public participation in the practice of history. - Digital History
It is an excellent source providing users with various documents and other materials on all significant historical eras and events. There is also a list of citations and digital references, which can be especially useful for teachers and students doing their research. - TimeMaps
TimeMaps is an excellent website about world history. The website is divided into three major parts.
The Atlas provides you with an overview of the world’s history.
The Encyclopedia lets you dig deeper into the detailed knowledge of countries and nationalities.
The Education area helps students and teachers to use the website as efficiently as possible. - Spartacus Educational
This source provides you with information on a wide range of topics. Some of the site sections are dedicated to specific countries’ history. Others concentrate on such significant topics as Women’s History or The Roman world. - Stanford History Education Group
Stanford History Education Group invites you to a course called “Reading Like a Historian.” The curriculum inspires students to study history. The course consists of lessons concentrating on specific central historical questions. It also includes several documents made for groups of students with a range of reading skills. - Big History Project
The Big History project aims to examine the past, explain the present, and imagine our future. This approach includes several disciplines. It keeps high school students in focus, though it was made for anyone looking for answers to the big questions about the Universe. - BBC – History
The BBC History website is attractive from many perspectives. But one of the most exciting parts of it – is the “On this day” section. It shows the visitors what had happened on a particular day in the past. - Digital Public Library of America
Digital Public Library of America contains 43,899,411 images, sounds, texts, and videos from across the USA. Its goal is to help American libraries take control of the acquisition and delivery of content. It also aims to make different materials more available to a bigger audience. - HISTORY
The website offers a wide range of films and series on different historical events. It also provides stories about some of the most significant milestones of our lifetime. You can sign up for the Inside History Newsletter and stay tuned for all the latest updates!
10 Most Reliable Medical Websites
You may come across thousands of medical websites. However, not all of them provide reliable and up-to-date information. How to avoid non-credible sources? Here’s the tip: look at websites that are sponsored by Federal Government or belong to trusted universities. To ease your search, you may start with the sources below:
- National Institutes of Health
This website is the main destination for medical research in the United States. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the most significant source of medical research on a global scale, too. - MedlinePlus
This is the online space of the United States National Library of Medicine. The National Library of Medicine is no less than the world’s most extensive medical library, with over 7 million books, journals, studies, technical reports, microfilms, and some of the oldest medical works. - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
This is a website of The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is the national public health agency. Here you will find important information about diseases and treatment protocols. - Medical Library Association
The Medical Library Association (MLA) is a global, non-profit educational organization. Its members are 400 institutions and 3,000 professionals in the health information field. It boosts the highest level of professional practice. - Go Ask Alice
The Go Ask Alice website was made by the Columbia University team. Its authors are health promotion specialists and health care providers. Their goal is to answer the most relatable current questions about health and the health system. - Anxiety & Depression Association of America
ADAA is an organization that works to prevent and cure anxiety disorders and depression.
Its mission is to improve the quality of life for people suffering from anxiety, depression, OCD, and PTSD. Here you will be able to learn more about the conditions mentioned above. You will get informed about the programs designed for people suffering from those disorders. - The Lancet
The Lancet is an influential weekly medical journal. It is among the world’s oldest and best-known general medical journals. Here you will find reliable information about the latest medical findings and research. - World Medical Association
The World Medical Association (WMA) is an international and independent confederation of free professional medical associations representing physicians worldwide. The association is ready to provide you with ethical guidance to physicians through its Declarations, Resolutions, and Statements. You can also learn about health-related human rights, patient safety, public health policy, and projects such as tobacco control and immunization. - British Medical Journal
The BMJ is a peer-reviewed medical trade journal. It is published by the trade union of the British Medical Association. The BMJ is one of the oldest general medical journals. The journal helps to enhance public medical knowledge and publish the latest medical news and research results. - The New England Journal of Medicine
The New England Journal of Medicine is a weekly medical journal. The Massachusetts Medical Society publishes it. It is one of the most famous medical journals. You get weekly updated research results.
10 Most Reliable Science Websites
Despite tons of junk, the internet is still a great place to discover knowledge. If you don’t want to waste your time searching for legit resources, take a look at our selection:
- Royal Society of Chemistry
Chemistry World provides science journalism of high quality from international contributors. It aims to represent the global chemical science community. Its goal is to promote and support chemists and chemistry worldwide. - Atlas Obscura
The website presents a global community of explorers who have made a database of the world’s most beautiful places and foods. - NPR
NPR is an independent, non-profit media organization. Its mission is to create a more informed public. Through its network of member stations, NPR aims to make local stories national and global stories personal. - Pacific Standard
Pacific Standard is an American online magazine founded in 2008. It talks about social and environmental issues. Sometime after being founded, it transitioned to an online-only format. - Quanta Magazine
Quanta Magazine is an independent online journal. The Simons Foundation launched this fabulous magazine. It aims to enhance public understanding of science. - Science
Science Magazine is the peer-reviewed journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. It is one of the world’s top resources on general science. - Nature
Nature is an international journal publishing research studies in all fields of science and technology. The basis is originality, importance, and interdisciplinary interest. The journal also provides rapid and insightful news of topical and coming trends influencing science. - PLOS ONE
PLOS One is an open-access scientific journal published by the Public Library of Science. It shares research from any discipline, covering science and medicine. - Frontiers
Frontiers is an Open Science Platform with a mission to make science open to the public. The team of the platform believes that research is the foundation of modern society. - Science Direct
Science Direct is based in the Netherlands. This publishing company is concentrated on scientific, medical, and technical content.
10 Best Reliable News Websites
Don’t want to spend your time reading fake news? Here are the top 10 reliable news websites to learn about current events:
- Associated Press News
The Associated Press is a news agency based in New York. It is non-profit, and it operates as an unincorporated association. Its members are U.S. newspapers and broadcasters. - BBC News
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is the most extensive broadcasting agency in the world. The British government funds the organization. It is considered a central news source and is believed to be one of the most trusted worldwide. - C-SPAN
Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-SPAN) provides unbiased news coverage of the U.S. federal government and U.S. political events. - Christian Science Monitor
Christian Science Monitor is a news magazine that is a little different from the other news sources. The published stories are very in-depth, but they reflect all current issues.
You can get news from CSM in two ways: the daily edition or the weekly version. - The Economist
The Economist is a well-known weekly magazine. It focuses on international business, economics, and politics. Though the subscription is not cheap, readers say it’s worth it. - Reuters
Reuters website has an excellent reputation for good reporting. Reuters uses a “value-neutral approach” to guard against bias in its reporting. So you can be sure that the information you get here is totally worth using. - USA Today
USA Today is a news source that is read all over the world. It is the primary source of news for millions of people daily. In the USA Today, you can get a range of different viewpoints. - The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American daily newspaper. It will help you focus on business in your research. The journal is based in New York City.
The WSJ Journal is highly trusted in the United States. It has a strong center rating, and it was the only trusted outlet in a recent survey. - PBS
PBS is an American broadcaster and television program distributor. It is a non-profit organization. It will provide you with the most prominent info about educational television programming. - CBS
CBS is an American commercial television network. It is the flagship property of the CBS Entertainment Group division.
10 Reliable Websites for Statistics
Looking for reliable source of data? Why don’t you check our selection of organizations that conduct original statistics research? See the list below:
- World Bank Open Data
The website includes a selection of statistical databases. Some World Bank Data databases may be available by subscription only. - International Monetary Fund Data
The website lists databases of the International Monetary Fund with information from 1970 – 2010. - Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada website offers data that help Canadians better understand their country. You will get statistics on many points, including population, resources, economy, and society. - The Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is a part of the United States Department of Labor. It is the leading agency for the U.S. government in the field of labor economics and statistics. - The International Labour Organization
The International Labour Organization (ILO) is an agency of the U.N. Its goal is to advance social and economic justice by establishing international labor standards. Here you will find the latest news about global labor situation. - The Statistics Division
The Statistics Division aims to compile and disseminate global statistical information. It also develops standards and norms for statistical activities. - OECD Library
Access to this library is limited to University of Utah faculty. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development is the OECD’s Online Library of Statistical Databases, Books, and Periodicals. - NationMaster
The website specializes in saving and collecting data with worldwide importance. It offers data in a graph format, which can be great for your research. - UNCTAD
This site aims to provide the statistical data essential for the analysis of world trade and investment. It will also help you specialize in international financial flows and development. - Eurostat
Eurostat is the statistical office. It belongs to the European Union, and it is situated in Luxembourg. Its purpose is to provide the European Union with statistics at the European level. These statistics enable comparison between countries and regions.