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ENG 121 Professor Chavez

Evaluate a Site's Web Address

Look at the site’s Web address (URL):

.com = commercial Web sites

.edu = college and university Web sites

.gov = US Government Web sites

.org = organization Web sites (not necessarily non-profit)

Questions to Ask When Evaluating Online Sources

From the Joyner Library, East Carolina University http://media.lib.ecu.edu/reference/howdoi/display.cfm?id=42.0

Use the following 5 questions when evaluating the information provided
by a Web page to determine its credibility:

1. Who Created the Web Page?

  • Is the author/creator identified?
  • What are their qualifications?
  • Have you heard of them?
  • Do they provide contact information?
  • Does the website indicate a source of funding?

2. When Did They Create it?

  • Does the page tell you when it was created?
  • Is it updated? How often?
  • Does it need to be updated?

3. Why Did They Create it?

  • What purpose does this Web page serve?
  • What does the author get out of creating it?
  • What does this tell you about the reliability of the information this site offers?

4. What Perspective does it Represent?

  • What point of view does the site emphasize: For example, if the site deals with abortion, is it Pro-Life, Pro-Choice, or neutral?
  • Is the site reasonable or strident in tone? Does it support its arguments with facts or with rhetoric?
  • What issues doesn't the site address?

5. Is the Information Reliable?

  • Does it fit with what you've found elsewhere?
  • Is the information supported with references or sources?
  • Is the site well edited as far as spelling and grammar?
  • Does the site emphasize image (such as flashy graphics) or substance (quality content)?