How do you know if the information in a website is accurate? Anyone, regardless of their knowledge, can create a webpage. Check below to see how you can decide if a webpage is a trustworthy source for your research. Authority Currency Content For additional information, see
n Who is responsible for the content? A reputable person or organization?
n Is the domain .com? Or is it .gov, .edu, maybe .org?
Accuracy
n Is there supporting documentation such as a bibliography to indicate the sources of the information?
n Are there misspellings or grammatical errors?
n Can anyone post to the website? (e.g. Wikipedia)
Objectivity
n Does the authoring body have a bias or agenda such as with an advocacy or lobby group?
n If the subject matter is controversial, are all views represented?
n How current is the information? Are there references to recent developments?
n Are dates included (e.g. "First Posted" date, "Last Updated" date)?
n Does the content supply more images or advertising than text?
n Has the site been rated for its content by a reputable rating group?
n Can the content be viewed without requiring special technology or fees?
Evaluating Websites
