I love the title of this new book by James F. Broderick and Darren W. Miller. For those of you who read Totally Wired, you know that I am a huge proponent of "information literacy," or the need to help young people be more critical of the websites they surf and especially the sites they use for schoolwork. So when Darren contacted me about his book, "Consider The Source: A Critical Guide to 100 Prominent News and Information Sites on the Web," I thought this would be a great resource for teachers and librarians working with teens. The following is an email interview I did with James and Darren about the book and how it can be used to help make teens more critical consumers of the news and information online.

Anastasia Goodstein: This generation is known for "news grazing" and finding news and information while surfing -- a link catches their eye, they click and read, vs. going to traditional sources. How can a young person quickly evaluate whether or not the source is credible? What should they look for?

James F. Broderick and Darren W. Miller: Clicking on to a news site and making a snap judgment about its credibility is, increasingly, a dicey game. It is often difficult to tell at a glance whether a site is credible. However, there are certain things everyone should look for in a news site. The first thing to notice is the byline. Is the writer associated with an established news source (i.e., Associated Press, BBC, NPR)? Not being affiliated with an established news agency doesn't mean the story isn't credible -- however, if it's simply a name you've never heard, you should at the very least do a quick search for who or what this person is affiliated with. As you read the story, pay close attention to basic mechanical considerations, like spelling, grammar, typos, etc. Misspelled or missing words in a sentence or glaring grammatical errors ought to be a red flag. Throughout the story there should be multiple links, which when clicked will provide additional context (in journalism these stories are called sidebars and provide additional and even essential information). Finally look for a link to contact the writer. Credible publications regularly solicit reader feedback -- positive or negative. If you have the time, try to visit several sites to see how their coverage of the same event or issue differs, if at all.

AG: I have heard of some teachers assigning only "one internet source" for students researching online. I say, don't throw the baby out with the bath water." What do you think are the most credible sources young people can and should use when researching for school?

JB & DM: It, of course, depends on the age of the student. Most major news organizations on the Web (such as Time and Newsweek) have special sites dedicated to "Kids" news. These are generally quite good. Other sites, such as National Geographic, the Discovery Channel, and PBS also have extensive kid-friendly sections on their sites. Most high schoolers have the capability and sophistication to use "mainstream" sites, such as CNN.com, MSNBC.com, or the BBC. (A host of suitable sites for all information seekers on the Web, whatever their age, can be found, of course, in Consider the Source.) High school and college students seem increasingly fond of Wikipedia.

AG: And so...how do you feel about Wikipedia as a source?

JB & DM: While we understand that Wikipedia is not without its flaws (it is not always edited professionally, for example, and is subject to personal agendas), its encyclopedic nature makes the site a good starting point for a search of the Web. Wikipedia provides a comprehensive but manageable overview of the given topic. In most cases, the entries are footnoted, with the ability to click the links to original source material. It also provides portals to external sites for further discovery. Again, Wikipedia is a good on-ramp, but it is certainly not the only recommended stop on the information superhighway.

AG: Is there a source or sources you discovered that surprised you in terms of how good it actually is?

JB & DM: Several, actually: AlJazeera.net, which provides a necessary corrective to the often one-sided reporting of the Middle East by mainstream, Western news agencies; NASA.gov, which covers scientific matters with clarity and creativity; AllAfrica.com, an important and comprehensive look at a continent of increasing geopolitical significance; FBI.gov -- a window into a sometimes shadowy but increasingly important government agency; Guardian Unlimited -- if it is happening in the world, the Guardian covers it, extensively and contextually; USA Today, a surprising antidote to the brevity and cuteness of its print edition. There are plenty more sites -- good, bad, and unusual -- revealed, reviewed, and rated in Consider the Source that will surprise even regular, die-hard users of the Internet.

AG: Even with reliable sources like newspaper websites, there are still issues of bias. How would you advise teens when it comes to detecting bias?

JB & DM: Be aware that many, even most, sites do have a bias. That doesn't necessarily make the information incorrect, but it should serve as a reminder that all information is subject to personal interpretation. So, the first thing teens -- or anyone, really -- should do is to become aware of our own biases or prejudices. We all have them, and that's OK. Some Web sites are more candid about their biases. Others embed a highly subjective perspective within their stories and even in their layout. The best defense against bias is breadth of inquiry. Check in with lots of sites -- left, right, and center -- and you'll soon discover that the best way to detect bias is to rely on your own instincts as a reader/viewer and assess the information you've read/watched through the prism of the many sources you consulted. There's no getting past bias, but responsible sites acknowledge it honestly, allowing the reader/viewer to make up his or her mind.

AG: Anything else you think is relevant to helping parents and educators be better "guides" for teens online?

JB & DM: At the risk of sounding hubristic, Consider the Source is really the only guide for teens, parents, teachers, researchers, news junkies, and casual Internet users to the wealth of useful and appropriate news and information on the Web. And as the Internet evolves and new sites become popular with teens and others, the companion Web site, TheReportersWell.com, for buyers of Consider the Source provides updates of sites reviewed in the book and new information on the emergent information landscape. It's as essential to today's Internet users as the Atlas once was at the dawn of interstate travel in the United States.