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EVALUATING WEBSITES

The web has made it possible for anybody on the Internet to publish. Web sites rarely go through the exacting review process demanded by editors of print resources. It is therefore even more important to critically evaluate information you find on the web in terms of purpose, authority, scope, accuracy, and presentation.

The questions listed below (and on our evaluation worksheet) will help you decide whether or not to use a web resource to support your research.

PURPOSE
What is the basic purpose of the web site? Is the purpose stated?
Who is the intended audience?
Is the web site designed to inform, explain, persuade, sell, entertain?

AUTHORITY
Who is the author?
What are the author's education, credentials, occupation, affiliations, other publications? --Are these qualifications relevant to the information presented?
Who is the host? Is the host an educational institution (.edu), a non-profit organization (.org), a company (.com), the government (.gov), the military (.mil), or other?
Does the author's affiliation with an institution bias the contents of the resource?
Is the resource peer reviewed or edited? If so, by whom?
Is the site stable? Has it been there for a while and does it look like it's going to stay?

SCOPE
Is the topic covered comprehensively or selectively?
Is coverage regional, national, or international?
Is coverage recent or historical?
Is coverage up-to-date?

ACCURACY
Is the information presented factual? Have you noticed any errors?
Has the information been altered from its original?
Does the author use objective reasoning?
Is the information supported with evidence?

PRESENTATION
Is the writing clear?
Is the page well organized and easy to navigate?

OVERALL EVALUATION
Taking into account the purpose, authority, scope, accuracy, and presentation of the web site, is it appropriate to use this web resource in support of your research?