Evaluation

Web Site Evaluation Checklist
	The web can be a good source to get information, but you should always critically evaluate any site before relying on its content. Use the following evaluation checklist to critically analyze web sites.
	Authority
	Objectivity
	Currency
	Accuracy

	Need some help searching the web? Use one of these high quality search engines or Ask a Librarian for assistance. For information on evaluating print sources, see the Print Evaluation Checklist.

	Authority Remember, anyone can create a web site, so you must determine the author's credibility. Who is responsible for the content of the site? Can you truly distinguish between the webmaster and author? What are their qualifications for producing the content of the web page? What is their email address? Does it match the page's URL? Is the author sponsored by or affiliated by a respectable organization? Can you get this information somewhere else?
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	Objectivity Opinion and propaganda sites abound on the web, so read carefully for what is there and what is missing. What are the pages goals? Stated goals? Actual goals? Does this site seem overly biased? Are they trying to sell you a product or idea? Does the site have advertisements? Who funds the site? Are their any conflicts of interest in regards to the information they present and their source of funding or ideas they promote?
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	Currency Sites are often are put-up and neglected, so currency can be a tricky issue. When was the content produced? When was the pages content last updated? Do links to other sites work?
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	Accuracy Again, anyone can create a web site, and no one is necessarily checking for accuracy. Does the information ‘sound’ true to you? What is the depth of coverage (i.e. meta information, introductory information (common knowledge), only one side of argument, full coverage)? Can you corroborate this information elsewhere?
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Last revised: July 31, 2003