Five Evaluation Criteria
The internet contains a lot of information, some of it good and some of it not so good. When collecting information for research, you need to find the good information. Use the following criteria to judge whether websites offer trustworthy information.
If you are in doubt about who owns a particular website, enter the URL into this site: www.internic.net/whois This website provides public information about domain owners. If you do not recognize the owner of a website, do a Google search on them. It only takes an extra minute, and it may save you from using bad information.
| Authority | Who is responsible for the material on the website? This information is usually located in the "about us" or "contact us" pages. |
Who is the author of this site? http://www.martinlutherking.org Can you find any background information on this person or group? |
| Accuracy | Is the information on the site accurate and truthful? Are sources cited, and do you trust them? | Are there any sources cited in this site? Do you believe the information stated? http://www.smokingsection.com/issues1.html#whatiss/ |
| Objectivity | Why is this document on the web? Do the authors want to provide information, state their opinions, sell you their product? Are the authors upfront about their biases? | Who is the author of this site? Is there a possible bias? www.diabetes.com What is the purpose of this site? http://www.a-human-right.com |
| Currency |
When was the last time this page was updated? This is usually found at the bottom of the page. Are you aware of advances that have been made in the topic that aren't included in the site? |
What is wrong with the information on this site?
When was this page last updated? http://dept.physics.upenn.edu/nineplanets/pluto.html |
| Appearance |
Does the site look professional? Is it well laid out and do all the links work? Is the language used at an appropriate level? Are the words spelled correctly, and is it grammatically correct? |
http://www.creationism.org/ |