Northeast
Websites
Evaluating Websites
Websites contain information from sources with varying motivation and expertise. The questions below
will guide you in critically evaluating websites to ensure that they are appropriate for your use.
Authority/Credibility
Who is the author/producer of the information, and are they credible?
What is the domain of the site (.com, .edu, .gov, etc.)?
Find out on the website’s About Us or Contact page
by looking for information about the author or organization in other resources
(including websites)
by looking at the homepage of the website
on sites like samspade.org, where you can find out who the website is registered
to
The Better Business Bureau’s website, which has information about businesses
and charities
Accuracy
Are sources cited so that they can be checked to verify the accuracy of the information?
Are there obvious grammar or typing errors? Do the links work?
Find out by examining the contents of the website
Bias/Objectivity
Is the purpose of the site to sell, educate, explain, or persuade?
Does the author present the information as fact, opinion, or conjecture?
Is more than one viewpoint or opinion expressed?
Is the web site sponsored or created by an organization that has a particular agenda?
Find out on the website’s About Us page
by examining the contents of the website
Timeliness
Has the website been updated recently?
When was the information on the site created/compiled?
Find out by looking for dates at the top or bottom of the page
Revised September 2010
Relevance/Appropriateness
Does the website provide information that you need?
Think about how it supports your assignment, and compare it to other sources that you
have already found