EVALUATING A SOURCE
In general when using the Web as an information source, it helps to review each new site in terms of basic and consistent criteria. Scholarly works and propaganda are often linked and there on the Internet, in general there aren't any cyber-police on the lookout for bogus sites deliberate or otherwise. You're on your own surfing the net so it often helps to bring a set of good information habits with you. Please refer to the "Evaluation Checklist" as your guide when critically analyzing the web pages you encounter.

Evaluation Checklist

Accuracy:	Does the content contain numerous spelling errors and /or typos? Is the web page creation date present? Is the content detailed or too general? Are arguments well supported? Is the page per reviewed?
Credibility:	Does the page contain the author's name, position, or occupation? Is the author affiliated with well-known organization? Is three a means of contacting the creator (e.g. e-mail or phone)? Are the writer's credentials on the page? Are the credentials relevant to the topic?
Documented:	Is the original source of the content material apparent? Is there a bibliography? Are statistics' sources identified?
Appropriate:	What is the scope of the page in terms of its topic's coverage? Is only one view presented or are others noted and/or represented? Does the author's writing style seem more emotional than objective?

Like any information source, the WWW must be carefully evaluated. In fact, one may need to be more careful when researching on the web because it is riddled with irrelevant facts, data and opinions. Here are no editors or proofreaders to review its content, so it's the information literate persons' responsibility to critically analyze the content they encounter. Like other skills, critical evaluation analysis requires practice. There are a number of sites on the WWW with evaluation tutorials and advice.

From Harvard, Evaluating Web Resources by Jan Alexander and Marsha Ann Tate

http://www2.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/webevaluation/webeval.htm

From OhioNet, Evaluating Internet Resources,a hands-on tutorial, by Kovacs Consulting, Note: This is a free online offering but you must register to take tutorial.
http://www.kovacs.com/eval.html

From So. California College, Evaluating Internet Research Sources, by Robert Harris,

http://www.virtualsalt.com/evalu8it.htm

In general, when using the Web as an information source, it helps to review each new site in terms of the some basic and consistent criteria. Scholarly works and propaganda are often linked to each other on the WWW. Although some have set themselves as gatekeepers of sorts here and there on the Internet, in general there aren't any cyber-police on the lookout for bogus sites deliberate or otherwise. You're on your own surfing the net so it often helps to bring a set of good information habits with you. Please refer to the "Evaluation Checklist" as your guide when critically analyzing the Web pages you encounter.

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Last reviewed June 14, 2004 Last updated June 14, 2004