To help Mary Jo find "quality" rather than "quantity" when searching for authoritative and credible sources for her paper, she can do a few things:
Use Specialized Databases: Instead of just using regular search engines, Mary Jo can use special databases that have reliable articles and research related to her topic.
Explore Library Resources: Mary Jo can check out her university library. They usually have academic journals, books, and other trustworthy sources she can use online or in person.
Check Citations: When Mary Jo finds a source, she should look at the citations and references. If a source has good references, it's more likely to be reliable.
Peer-Reviewed Journals: Mary Jo can focus on articles from journals where experts in the field review the work before it gets published. This means the information is more likely to be reliable.
Government and Educational Websites: Mary Jo can trust information from government and educational websites because they are usually reliable. She should look for sources that end in ".gov" or ".edu."
Expert Authors: Mary Jo should look for sources written by experts or scholars who have a good reputation in their field. This makes the information more credible.
Publication Date: Mary Jo should be aware of when a source was published. While this isn't the only thing to consider, in some fields, recent information is important, while in others, older sources can still be useful.
By using these strategies, Mary Jo can find a smaller number of good-quality sources to make her paper stronger and more trustworthy.