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How do I evaluate secondary sources like books and articles?

There are a number of different methods, but we usually promote CRAP.

Currency - When was it published? Is it current enough for your topic?
Reliability - Does the author cite their sources? What kind of information is cited? Is the content balanced or mostly opinion? 
Authority - Is the author clear? What are their credentials? If written by an organization, are they reputable?
Point of View -  What is the purpose of the source? Is fact or opinion presented? Is it biased? POV is not necessarily a deal breaker, but needs to be used accordingly.

Basically you want to think critically about the origins of the source and whether or not it is appropriate for your topic.