Why do I Need to Evaluate a Website?

• Many people believe that everything is on the Internet. Big mistake!
• The sources that are on the Internet are not always reliable.
• Anyone can put anything on the Web, but the information is not always useful or accurate.
• Evaluating your resources is always important, but for websites, it is critical.

ABC's of Evaluating Websites

Audience

• To whom is the site directed - children, adults, students; a certain ethnicity, gender or political affiliation?
• Is it understandable by the lay person, or is it highly technical requiring specialized knowledge?

Authority

• Is the author of the site listed?
• Can you determine his/her expertise?
• Is contact information given?
• With what organization is he/she associated?

Bias

• Does the language, tone, or treatment of its subject give the site a particular slant or bias?
• Is it designed to sway opinion? Organizational affiliation can often indicate bias.

Currency

• Is the site up-to-date with working links?
• Are dates given for when it was created and last updated?
• Is the topic current?

Scope

• Is the site an in-depth study of the topic going several pages deep, or is it a superficial, single-page look at the subject?
• Are statistics and sources referenced properly cited?
• Does the site offer unique information not found anywhere else like print sources?