Ask yourself the following questions about each website you are considering:
Currency
- How recent is the information?
- Can you locate a date when the page(s) were written/created/updated?
- Does the website appear to update automatically (this could mean no one is actually looking at it)?
- Based on your topic, is it current enough?
Example website: GenoClinic
Reliability
- What kind of information is included in the website?
- Based on your other research, is it accurate and complete?
- Is the content primarily fact or opinion?
- Is the information balanced or biased?
- Does the author provide references for quotations and data?
- If there are links, do they work?
Example website: OncoLink
Accuracy
- Is the information in the resource reliable?
- Are the author's claims supported by evidence?
- Has the content been reviewed by other experts? Is it a peer-reviewed resource?
- Are the language and tone biased?
- Are there spelling or grammatical errors?
Authority
- Can you determine who the author/creator is?
- Is there a way to contact them?
- What are their credentials (education, affiliation, experience, etc)?
- Is there evidence they are expects in the subject?
- Who is the publisher or sponsor of the site?
- Is this publisher/sponsor reputable?
Example website: Quackwatch
Purpose/Point of View
- What's the intent of the website (to persuade, to sell you something, etc.)?
- What is the domain (.edu, org, .com, etc.)? How might that influence the purpose/point of view?
- Are there ads on the website? How do they relate to the topic being covered?
- Is the author presenting fact or opinion?
- Who might benefit from a reader believing this website?
- Based on the writing style, who is the intended audience?
Example website: Presidential Elections
