Google can be a useful tool for finding resources on graffiti and street art. It takes less time to publish something on the Internet than it does in print. However, because there is no editor-in-chief for the Internet, it is important to search carefully, and to evaluate the types of information you are finding.
When you are searching the Internet using a tool such as Google, pay attention to the type of language you are using. Are you using formal language or casual language? Are you using enough keywords to find what you are looking for? What kinds of sources are you pulling up? Can you trust those sources? Are you looking for images primarily, or text? Critical thinking skills are necessary if you are going to use Internet resources.
Whether you are using a website found via Google or an article discovered on a database, it is important to evaluate your source and make sure that it is valid and trustworthy. One way we can evaluate sources is by using the acronym SIFT.
S = Stop
I = Investigate the source
F = Find other/better coverage
T = Trace claims, quotes, and media back to the original source.
Here is more information on SIFT.
It can be a tricky thing to use Wikipedia. Sometimes, entries that you find on Wikipedia look great, but then, once you start reading them, you discover that some of the information is incorrect, or citations are missing.
One of the most effective way to use Wikipedia is to look at the citations at the end of the article, and then look for those citations. They are sometimes hyperlinked web pages or online articles or books. Other times, the references listed are primarily books. You can use our online catalog to find out if the Library carries those books.