How to evaluate a website.

How to evaluate a website.

1. Purpose: Determine whether the main purpose of the site is to inform or to persuade (advocate for a cause).

2. Author: The best sites are produced by those who have appropriate education, training, or experience to write with authority on the topic. Check site documents or external sources to find out more about the author.

3. Content: Consider whether content seems biased. Does the author have a "vested interest" in the topic? Look for documentation of claims and a balanced point of view.

4. Coverage: Shop around for the best source. You can compare the page to others on the same topic to see which provides better coverage.

5. Currency: If you are looking for the most current information on a topic, be sure to determine when information was added.

6. Recognition: Also try to determine whether the site has been recognized as exemplary, either in reviews or by others linking to it.

net.TUTOR, (2005). Evaluating Web Sites. Retrieved January 11, 2007, Web site: http://liblearn.osu.edu/tutor/