Evaluating Web Sources: How to Evaluate A Website

Author                   (Authority)

• Who is the author?

• What are the author's credentials? 

• Check for the author's name in the site's header or footer.

• Look for a biography or resume for the author.

• Check for links to the site's homepage or About Us area.

• Check author's affiliation: organization, government agency, or college/university.

• Check through the sponsor's or Web designer's e-mail address to obtain information about the author.

• Search online for more information on the author. Are they recognized in their field? Do they hold appropriate academic degrees?

Site's Sponsor/     Publisher

• Who is the site's sponsor? Do they have a reputation for quality work?

• The last three letters of the URL can give you a clue about the site's   sponsor.                

       .com  = commercial businesses

       .net   = network related organizations

       .org  = nonprofit groups

       .edu  = educational institutions

       .gov  = US government agencies

       .mil  = US military

• Check the site's header or footer.

• Check for links to the site's homepage or About Us area.

• Check the site's domain through its Web address (URL)

Purpose

• What is the purpose of the resource? Has the author succeeded in fulfilling that purpose?

• Who is its intended audience? Often the homepage and publisher information can give you an idea.

• Inform: popular subject or scholarly

• General audience

• Persuade: balanced or biased

• Informed reader

• Entertain

• Scholar

• Sell a product

• Professional in the field

Accuracy

• Is the information accurate?

• Look for a bibliography (list of references) that is included within the website.

• Does the author refer to other works?

• Does the author support his/her arguments?

• Is the information peer reviewed?

Timeliness/Currency

• When was the source published?

• Is the information still relevant?

• Look for the date of publication or "last updated" in the website's header or footer. 

• When was the site last revised?

Suitability

• Does the resource have the information you need?

• Is the material written at a level you can understand?

• Does the site have a table of contents?

• Is the information too general?

• Read through some of the text.

• Is the information too technical?

Uniqueness

• Is the information available elsewhere in print or electronic format?