Introduction

Responsibility

Authority

Purpose

Documentation

Updates

Getting Assistance

Printable Checklist

Printable Checklist

Anyone can put anything on the Internet. You need to evaluate each web page you look at.

• Responsibility: Who is responsible for the web site?
  • URLs: What is the address (Uniform Resource Locator) of the site?
    • Top Level Domains: What is the domain (.edu, .org, .gov, etc.)?

    • .EDU: If it's a .edu page, is it a personal page or an official page?

  • About Us: What information can you find about the organization or authors?

• Authority: How do you know that the authors know what they're talking about? What credentials do they have?

• Purpose: What are the authors trying to do?

• Documentation: Are there references, notes, bibliographies, or other citations of information sources?

• Updates: When was the information on the site posted? When was the last time it was checked?

After considering these factors, if you're still not sure, ask a professor or a librarian.