The University of California at Santa Cruz has an excellent guide to knowing what to look for when evaluating the quality of information you find.
Searching Effectively
The library's paid subscription databases are the best place to start for resources for academic papers; specific databases are recommended on this page and throughout this guide.
See also:
Globalization & Economic Competitiveness guide
Political Analysis for Public Policy guide
Find sources on US government branches, public opinion, media, interest groups.