Evaluating Websites 

• ANYONE can put up a web page –About anything.
• Many web pages are not kept up to date.
• No quality control. There are no selection guidelines for search engines.
• More people are using the World Wide Web to get information than ever before.

• Who wrote the information you are reading?
• Can you contact the author?
• Is the author an individual, agency, institution or organization?

• Look at the URL for clues. (.com, .org, .net, .gov, .edu, .mil)
• Look for links to credentials. (“About Us,” “Philosophy,” “Background,” “Biography”)
• Look for copyright (ú) information at the bottom of the main page.

• What is the purpose of the site?
  • Sway opinion?
  • Sell products/ services?
  • Provide access to useful information and services?
  • Satire or parody?
• What, if anything, is wrong with the site?
  • Are issues covered from all angles or is bias present?
  • Are multiple spelling and grammar errors present?
  • Are the graphics appropriate to the information?
• What is the purpose of your web search?
  • Entertainment?
  • Research?

• When was the site created?
• When was the site last updated?
  • Are links from the page still active?
  • Look for a date at the bottom of the main page.

• Where does the information come from?
  • Are sources documented with links, footnotes, or bibliography?

• Why is this information useful to you?
  • Is it directly related to your topic?
  • Is this the best page among others of the same topic?