Internet information is created or published by anyone. The websites need to be evaluated or examined carefully before information is used
The following evaluation criteria will help you find useful information:
Author: What do I know about the author?
- Is the author/creator named on the page?
- Are credentials, like experience, education, or occupation listed?
Purpose: What is the purpose of the page?
- Is it intended to educate, explain, persuade, or sell a product?
Objectivity: How can I judege the objectivity?
- Is the information fact, opinion, or propaganda? How can you tell?
- Is the page sanctioned by an organization?
Quality-examine the website information and its sources. Look for the following:
- Is the information presented supported by references and citations? Is the topic discussed thoroughly and completely?
Currency-quality sites are regularly reviewed and updated if necessary. Be sure a site includes the following:
- Date when the site was create and date when last updated.
Domain Name-a site domain provides a clue about the validity of the site.
- Government (.gov) and Education (.edu) sites are usually legitmate as they are associated with reputable institutions.
- Organization (.org) and Network (.net) sites are sometimes usable, but evaluation is vital as they may be biased.
- Commerical (.com) sites are often geared toward selling a product or service and are often not good academic sources.