By now, you are aware that not all Web sites are created equal and that anyone with a computer can put up a Web page. For doing academic work, students must be sure that the Web site from which you are getting information is reliable. Use the following information* as a tool for evaluating your sites. Most sites won't have all of the following qualities, but the ones you actually use should contain answers to at least some of the following questions:
Who wrote the information?
-does the article indicate who wrote it?
-are the credentials of the author indicated?
Is there an "about us" or "mission statement" located on the main page?
-is it easy to find?
-does it match the content of the Web site?
-is the sponsor of the site interested in making money or an organization wanting to win you over to a point of view?
Is the site current?
-does the site state when it was copyrighted or written?
-does it say when it was last updated?
-does each article have a date when it was written?
Who funds the site?
-is it easy to find that information?
-do the sponsor and content match?
-is there contact information available?
What type of site is it?
-look at the domains, i.e. .gov, .edu, .com, .org.
-make .edu and .gov your first choice when possible
*thanks for contributions made to this checklist by Kathleen Packard (Springfield Technical Community College)