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Evaluating Internet Sources
With hundreds of millions of documents on the Internet, there's plenty of information to choose from. But when doing research on the web, be sure and look at your results more carefully! Remember that the information on the web is not subject to the same standards as a published book or magazine article. Almost anyone can put almost anything on the web. Web documents are not necessarily reviewed, edited, or even proof read. Some web pages are written by experts, but others are written by those with little or no knowledge on the subject.
Websites to Evaluate: selected by Librarians
Evaluating Web Sites PowerPoint / Tutorial
Ask yourself the following questions when evaluating information found on the web:
1. Who is responsible? - Authority/Source
An authoritative source lists the author's name along with his or her credentials and background. An organization affiliated with the site is reputable. Contact information, such as address, phone number or email address, is given for the author or organization. The site is well designed and easy to navigate.
2. What is the message? Accuracy/Completeness
The site is well written without spelling or grammatical errors. The document's content is comprehensive and the facts stated agree with the other information you have found. There is a bibliography of reputable sources.
3. Why is this information posted to the Web? - Purpose/Objectivity
The document's purpose is clearly stated. Arguments and assumptions are logical and well supported. The presentation of the material is objective and any bias is plainly stated. Other viewpoints are acknowledged. The language is not emotionally charged.
4. When was the information posted? - Currency
There should be a date and it should indicate what the date actually means, i.e. is it the date the information was originally written, first posted to the web, or last revised. The links should be current.
Still need help? Librarians are trained in the classification and evaluation of information and can advise you. If you are in doubt about a source you find on the web, it's best to look further and find another source.
Use these points to evaluate your web documents:
- Look for the name of the author or sponsoring organization. It may be necessary to scroll through the entire document looking for a clue. The author's name or sponsoring organization are very often at the end of the document. There may be a link to this information, such as one that says "About Us."
- If little or no information is given, check any links that say "Home," or "Back" or "Main page" to see if you can follow a trail to a responsible party.
- If you find a name, but no qualifications are given, a street address, phone number, or email address may be listed, so you could contact that person yourself and ask them about their credentials.
- Other information about the author or organization might be found by searching magazine or newspaper databases, such as EBSCOhost for more information about, or articles by, your author. Or try a web search engine for other pages by that author. A print source, such as Who's Who in America, can also be helpful. Ask your librarian for assistance if necessary.
- Look at the web site's URL or Internet address, to try and determine the author's affiliation. Sites whose URL includes a .gov, .edu, or .org are usually more reliable. URL's with a ~ in them often indicate a personal site. Education sites (.edu) often allow students to post their papers or projects to the web, so look at the entire URL carefully.
How to check for Accuracy/Completeness:
- Check for spelling, typos, or grammatical errors.
- Read through the entire document for content.
- Evaluate the content and compare it with other sources
- Does is seem accurate? How comprehensive is it?
- Is there a bibliography? Does it cite other reputable sources?
- Check any links to see if this is part of the document or part of a larger site with additional content.
How to check for Purpose/Objectivity:
- Read through the document. Is the purpose stated?
- Does the author or organization have a particular reason to try and convince the reader of their point of view?
- Is the material a primary or secondary source?
- Is the author trying to sell something?
- Look for ads. Do they interfere with the content?
- Is the information objective or emotional?
- Look for inflammatory language, i.e. "Everyone must stop this now!!!!"
- Does the author acknowledge other viewpoints?
- Are the various viewpoints fairly presented?
- Are you required to give personal information to access the site?
- Again, look at the URL. Sites whose URL includes a .gov, .edu, or .org are more reliable. URL's with a ~ in them often indicate a personal site.
How to check for Currency:
- Look for any dates, often at the bottom of the document.
- If a date is given, does the date mean: the date the document was first written, the date the information was placed on the web, or the date the document was last revised?
- Are the links current, or are there many "dead" link
Most recent revision: December 6, 2007
