WEBSITE EVALUATION --ABC's of Evaluation

When viewing any information but especially when viewing websites, always ask yourself, "Why should I believe this?"

Authority  

Who is the author?**  What are his or her qualifications?  What school or institution is the sponsor? Does the author state where he or she got their information? Does the website give an e-mail address so that you can contact the author or sponsor? Does the domain (.com or .gov of .edu) help you to understand who is providing the information?

Accuracy   

Is the information provided correct? Does it conflict with what you know to be true or with information from other sources?   

Bias          

What is the author's purpose for providing the information? Is the author trying to inform or persuade? Does the author state facts or opinions? Is the author giving only one point of view or only one side of the story?

Currency

When was the information published or the website created? When was the website last updated? Does the website offer links that are outdated and go nowhere?

**Information about the author or about the sponsoring institution is usually found at the top of the page or at the very bottom.

Last Update: Wednesday, May 9, 2007 at 10:57:46 AM
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