A classroom teacher and a university researcher examined what criteria fourth-grade students use to examine text authority and how traditional and new literacy skills may support such evaluation. Results of this case study indicate that students rely heavily on traditional reading skills, including background knowledge and vocabulary skill, to evaluate digital sources. Furthermore, the concept of expert is complex for students, who view it as an interaction between personal experience and objective evidence of authority, such as experience and education. The study shows how explicit instruction and continual practice are necessary to prepare students for web-based reading and research.