Social Work: Evaluating Websites

Take a look at the Texas State Library's Top Ten Reasons why you should choose the library's databases over the Internet for research. 

When searching for information on the Internet, it's important that you evaluate the source and the content for accuracy and credibility to make reasonably sure that it's from a reliable source. The following criteria will help you to know what to look for.
   

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?
• Is there a link to information about the author or contact information? Don't confuse the author with the webmaster for the site. 
• Domain extensions also help to identify a credible site.
   
  • .edu - academic institution
  • .gov - government website
  • .com - commercial site
  • .org - nonprofit organization
  • .net - network of computers

 Purpose & Content

• What is the site's purpose?
• Does the information appear biased or to express an opinion?
• Is the content factual? Can you verify the information through other resources?
• Does the content express unbiased facts or instead try to persuade the reader or sell a product?

 Currency

• When was the site last updated?
• Is it well maintained? Do all links work?
• Are all linked sites active and current?  
• Does the content support the site's purpose? Is the information current?