This document provides guidance on evaluating the quality and reliability of internet sources. It discusses evaluating a source for factors like bias, validity, accuracy, currency of information, and readability for the intended audience. Specifically, it provides tips on identifying facts versus opinions, signs of bias like excessive advertising, checking the source and date of information, and whether the format is suitable for the target readers.

1. EVALUATING INTERNET SOURCES

2. FACT OR OPINION
BIAS
VALIDITY OF INFORMATION
ACCURACY
HOW CURRENT THE MATERIAL IS ?
READABILITY OF INFORMATION or SUITABLE FOR THE
AUDIENCE.

3. FACT OR OPINION
• Facts are often written as a simple statement,
for example ‘Fiji lies in the Pacific Ocean’.
• Opinions are often supported by evidence.
• Facts are easily recognized because phrases
like ‘possibly’, ‘maybe’, ‘it is probable’ etc. are
used.
• Opinions are sometimes easily recognized
because words like ‘believe’, ‘opinion’, ‘think’’,
‘could’, ‘might’ and ‘would’ are used.

4. BIAS
• Bias is a lack of objectivity or fairness in the
treatment of topics.
• On websites the bias can sometimes be
identified when information keeps directing
you to purchase a product or products.

5. VALIDITY OF INFORMATION
• For information to be valid, it must be both accurate
and reliable.
• For reliability you must check the source of the data.
• Check the publisher of the data
• Find out how information was collected.
• Check if other reliable sites have links to it.
• Check if the site contains lots of advertisements.
• Check how upto date the website is. (Check the dates)
• Another indicator of a site’s validity is the use of
endorsements from reputable organizations.

6. READABILITY OF INFORMATION or
SUITABLE FOR THE AUDIENCE.
• The information must be in a format that will
be easily read by the proposed target
audience.

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