Website Evaluation

How to evaluate websites

The World Wide Web can be a wonderful research tool, but you do need to use caution. Remember that anyone can put anything on the Web. If you plan to use a Web site, examine the site carefully and ask yourself these questions. Get in the habit of judging accuracy, currency, authority, and objectivity.

Is the information accurate? Does it contain spelling or grammatical errors?

Is the information current? When was it last updated? Are the links up-to-date?

Is the page signed? What are the author’s credentials or qualifications?

What is the purpose of the information? Is it to inform, explain, entertain, persuade, or sell? Is there a bias?

Where does the Web site originate? Is it affiliated with a major institution or organization? Looking at the URL (Web address) can help you determine this.

.edu	Educational or research site
.gov	Government sites
.com	Commercially sponsored sites
.org	Non-profit organizations

For more information, check out these Web sites.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: or, Why It’s a Good Idea to Evaluate Web Sources

Thinking Critically about World Wide Web Resources

10 Reasons Why the Internet Is No Substitute for a Library

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