Today's technology makes it easy to create a website and post information. Not all information on the Internet is credible, so it's important that you evaluate the site to determine if the information is from a reliable, authoritative source.
Authority & Accuracy
- Is there an author or sponsor, such as a company or corporation?
- What are the author's credentials? Do they have the necessary education or expertise?
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Is there a link to information about the author or contact information? Look in the footer for authorship information. Don't confuse the author with the webmaster for the site.
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Domain extensions help to identify a credible site.
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.edu - academic institution
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.gov - government website
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.com - commercial site
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.org - nonprofit organization
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.net - network of computers
Purpose & Content
- What is the site's purpose?
- Does the information appear biased or opinionated?
- Is the content factual?
- Is its purpose to provide facts? To persuade the reader? To sell a product?
Currency
- When was the site last updated?
- Is it well maintained? Do all links work?
- Does the page link to sites no longer working?
- Does the content support the site's purpose? If it's a news site, is the information current?
