Review reference materials. Determine if the author of the source is qualified by reviewing the author's education, writing experience and professional memberships. Obtain a biography of the author, if available. Examine the copyright or publication date and the material to know whether the publication reflects the current approach, policy or law on your subject.
Determine if the source is scholarly or is of general, popular interest. Scholarly journals contain a bibliography or reference list and are reviewed by other experts and scholars in the field before being published. General interest or popular magazines are often presented in news format with illustrations and do not contain a bibliography or reference list. Read through academic book reviews to find out how the book has been evaluated by peers and others.
Keep a working bibliography of the sources you use and include all relevant information such as author, publication title and date, publisher, website and any other pertinent information. Use this list to create the bibliography that will be included at the end of your work. Refer to the citation style requested by your professor to properly format the entries contained in your bibliography.