ENGL 101 - Markossian - Asynch: Evaluating Websites

Download and print one or both of these check lists as a guide in your website evaluation:

Don't have time to fill out a worksheet?  Here's a quick list of questions to ask yourself before taking information from a site:

ACCURACY

• Who wrote the page?
• Is contact information for the author(s) available?
• What is the purpose of the Website?

AUTHORITY

• Who published the document?
• Check the domain (.edu, .org, .com).
• Does the author list any credentials?

OBJECTIVITY

• Determine if any bias exists (i.e. is this an advertisement, or an organization with a motive?)
• What are the goals of the Website?

CURRENCY

• When was the Website published?
• Are there any dead links?
• Is the content outdated?

COVERAGE

• Are the links relevant to the topic?
• Do you need any special software or a paid subscription to view the information?