It is very important to evaluate websites before including any information that you find in your essays. Here is a checklist that you can use in order to see whether the website is a reliable resource. The more "yes" answers you can give to the questions below, the more reliable the website.
Authority: reveals the person, institution or agency responsible for a site has trustworthy qualifications and knowledge.
- Is it clear who developed the site?
- Has contact information been provided? This includes: e-mail address, mail address, phone number, etc.
- Is the site supported by an organization or a commercial body? You can usually tell by the website URL (.org is an organization, .edu is an educational institution, etc)?
- Is the author affiliated with a known institution?
Purpose: The author should be clear about the purpose of the information presented in the site. Ask yourself: What is the purpose of the site and does the content support it?
- Does the domain name of the site indicate its purpose?
- Is the site well organized?
- Can you find information easily?
- Are the links appropriate for the topic of the site?
- Is the information geared to a specific audience?
Coverage: One author may claim to present comprehensive coverage of a topic while another may cover just one aspect of a topic.
- Is the site comprehensive?
- Are topics explored in depth?
- Is the web site valuable compared to others on the same topic?
- Does the site depend on outside links?
- Are the outside links relevant?
Currency: It is important to know when site was created, when it was last updated, and if all of the links are current. This is because information can change very quickly.
- Is the date the information was first written given?
- Is the date the information was placed on the web given?
- Is the date the information was last revised given?
- Are the links up-to-date and reliable?
- Is the site still under construction?
Objectivity: sites will present information with a minimum of bias, without the intention to persuade.
- Is the information presented without a particular bias?
- Does the information avoid trying to sway the audience?
- Does the site avoid advertising that may be a conflict of interest with the content?
- Does the site avoid trying to persuade or sell something?
Accuracy: Is the information presented accurate?
- Is the information reliable?
- Are proper references given for the origin of the information?
- Based on your own outside reading, does the information on the site seem accurate?
- Is the information provided comparable to other sites on the same topic?
- Does the text follow basic rules of grammar, spelling and composition?
- Is a bibliography or reference list included?
Adapted from Dalhousie University Libraries "Website Checklist."
