Frank and Ernest
October 3, 2010 http://www.frankandernest.com/cgi/view/display.pl?110-10-03
*Be skeptical when evaluating any information source.
*This is especially true for World Wide Web pages, because they are less likely to be subject to quality control measures such as editorial oversight.
*Anyone can put information on the web.
Consider these factors when evaluating a source:
Accuracy
This is the ultimate point: to have an accurate source! But you may not know enough about a topic to judge. Look for solid evidence, such as research studies and statistics. Is there a "works cited" section or reference to other sources the author used? These indicate the information is based on research rather than just opinion.
Authority
Who is the author? Are any credentials given? Who is the publisher? If you can't tell or if there isn't any clear information, the document may be questionable. For websites, you often have to check the home page or the "About Us" page to find who is behind a source.
Objectivity
Determine the author's purpose. Is the page a mask for advertising? Is there bias in the information presented. There's nothing wrong with a source having a point of view, but you need to be aware of it so you can investigate the other sides. Example: A webpage extolling the health benefits of drinking Coca Cola posted on the Coca Cola website.
Currency
When was the webpage created? When was it updated? Think about your topic and how important recent information is to it. For an art history project, it probably isn't very important. For a paper on genetic engineering, it is very important.
There is no universal symbol to designate quality web pages, but here are things you can look for to help you determine if a web page is appropriate or not.
Authority
Special thanks to Austin Community College and Jon Luckstead for permission to adapt this research guide. http://researchguides.austincc.edu/findinternet