Website Evaluation

Questions to ask of any website.

Authority

• Is there an author? Is the page signed?
• Who is the author? Is he/she qualified?
• Is it a personal webpage?
• Is there a sponsor for the page? Does he/she/it have an agenda?
• What is the domain of the page (edu, gov, org, com)?

Accuracy

• Is the information reliable and error-free?
• Is there contact information (e-mail address, physical address, telephone number)?

Objectivity

• Is the information biased?
• Is the page trying to sway opinion?
• Is there advertising on the site?

Currency

• When was the page created?
• When was the page last updated?
• Do the links work?

Coverage

• What topics are covered?
• How detailed is the information covered?
• Does the page offer new information or information that cannot be verified elsewhere?