Evaluating Websites
Information on the internet is mostly unfiltered, requiring extra caution in selecting reliable sources. Anyone can create a website, whether they are a credible author and/or expert on the subject or not. It is important to make sure that the website you are considering as an information source is a credible one.
When evaluating a website, consider the following:
- Authority – Who published the website? (Interest group or Academic Institution?)
- Purpose – Why was the website created? (Persuasion or Education?)
- Objectivity – Is the information biased? (Special Interests?)
- Appropriateness – Is the content suitable for your project? (Scholarly?)
- Currency – How recent was the website updated or the content provided?
- Hoaxes – Is this website and the information it includes real or a hoax?