What is a 'quality' source?
Why should you be concerned about source quality as you research your topic? In fact, there are several reasons:
How will you measure 'quality'? First consideration: What is your purpose?
Even within the sphere of academic writing, the manner in which you make use of sources can vary. Sources can provide:
For the first three of the above, news sources, such as magazine and newspaper articles, and general books could provide excellent background and detail for more compelling writing.
How can you evaluate sources?
See the checklist below to decide between a good source and a questionable one:
Bias can be hard to detect!
There a several models available for how to systematically evaluate the sources you use in the course of your research. One of the most popular is the CRAAP Test for evaluating information.
Madison Area Technical College Libraries. Fake News. https://libguides.madisoncollege.edu/fakenews