When writing a science paper, you need several different sources of information. These sources can be books or websites. Remember to use the most credible sources. Some websites present things as evidence that may not have a scientific base. You must be able to identify reliable sites so the data in your presentation is credible. Sources that end in .edu (school and college websites) and .gov (government websites such as NASA. gov) are the most trustworthy. However, sometimes students, not scientists, write content for .edu websites. Because the content may not have been checked by scientists, read any .edu website carefully to determine whether it is reliable. Some .org and .com sites, such as Smithsonian. com, are also credible, but you have to read the content carefully to determine how legitimate it is. When you review a source, ask yourself these questions about the website’s author, content, and sources:

Who authored the article?
Is the author a scientific expert in stars and galaxies?
What is the purpose of the article?
Does the article state facts that can be proven by evidence, or is it made up of opinions?
When was the article written?
Do other credible sources support the statements in this article?
Which scientific studies support the information in the article?
Find two to three credible websites that you can use to find information for your paper. Write them down. They can be e-books, magazines, websites, and so on. Also, write down one to two sentences for each source explaining how the source will help you. Show how you will cite your sources at the end of your presentation using MLA (Modern Language Association) citation methods.