There are several source types listed on this guide, including extension articles, blogs, podcasts, magazines, and academic journals.
When evaluating your sources, first take the time to figure out what type of source it is. Google is not a source itself; it is a tool to help you find sources. Website is a very broad category. What type of website is it? Is it a blog, a government pamphlet, an academic journal article, a fact sheet?
Who created it? Are they an expert? Google the author or creator. In the case of government or extension publications, the source may be created by an individual author or the organization itself (such as the Agricultural Research Service or the University of Tennessee).
If you need help finding, evaluating, or using sources, the library can help! Make an appointment or use our Ask Us chat.
To find government publications, you can use one of the links below or run a Google search for "CROP gov" or "CROP government publication". Look for the .gov.
Extension publications are written by scientists, researchers, professors, extension agents, and other individuals working for a university. They are backed by quality scientific evidence, but they are meant for a broad audience. They often look more like magazines, with images and bright colors. They are designed to help disseminate scholarly knowledge to farmers and practitioners around the state. Extension publications come from land-grant universities, such as the University of Tennessee Knoxville or the University of Kentucky.
Look for the .edu.
To find extension publications, you can use one of the links below or run a Google search for "extension publication CROP".