Research Guides: Finding Government Information: Websites

Finding Credible Web Sources

Google Advanced Search
You can use Google Advanced Search to find credible internet sources by limiting search results.
- Choose a domain, like .edu, .gov, or .org, to filter out .com information.
- Explore limiting file type to .pdf to find documents that may have been professionally edited.

SIFT & PICK Fact Checking & Source Evaluation
A printable version of the SIFT & PICK approach to evaluating sources using lateral reading (SIFT) to fact check a source and vertical reading (PICK) to decide whether it is the best source for your needs.

Finding Credible Web Sources
Our Finding Credible Web Sources guide has more tips on searching the Internet.

Recommended Websites

International
- United Nations is a multi-lingual site that contains information on current issues, as well as official United Nations documents, resources, news and media.
- Europa is the official, multi-lingual website of the European Union.
- Hathitrust is a shared digital repository for partner institutions around the world. It includes large collections of government records from the U.S. and other participating countries.
Federal and National
- Govinfo provides free public access to official publications from all three branches of the Federal Government by the United States Government Publishing Office (GPO).
- U.S. Federal Government is the main website for all branches of the U.S. Government.
- State, Local, and Tribal Governments (USA.gov) links to basic information about governments of U.S. states and territories.
- Congressional Research Service (Library of Congress) is a nonpartisan think tank that provides members of Congress with reports on government policy and political issues worldwide. Though not published publicly, these reports are often sent to websites such as Every CRS Report and the Federation of American Scientists, so that the public can access the same information Congress uses to make their decisions.
- National Security Archive at George Washington University collects and publishes declassified documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.
- United States Census contains information, statistics, documents, and reports related to the US population.
State of California
- CA.gov links to home pages for all branches of the California State Government.
- California State Association of Counties contains county profile information.
Santa Barbara
- Government Information (Santa Barbara) is UCSB's guide to local government resources.