This document outlines the ABCD method for evaluating websites. It examines the Analysis of the URL, Authorship, potential Bias, Content, and Date of a website. The ABCD method provides criteria to determine if a site should be used or questioned for a research purpose. Key factors include determining if the author and organization are experts, if the information is accurate and consistent with other sources, and if the content is current and recently updated. Using the ABCD method can help evaluate whether a website is reliable and appropriate to use for academic work or if it should be avoided.

1. ABCDs of Website Evaluation
Name of site:
What does the URL tell you? http://www.domainname.com/subject/folder/htm
E.g. http://www.aip.org/history/climate/pdf/20ctrend.pdf
Protocol: http://
Domain: www.aip.org (look up domain; watch for type of domain)
Directory: history
File: climate
Filetype: pdf
Title of file: 20ctrend.pdf
ABCDs Consider using this site if: Question this site if:
Analysis of URL of site:  You search for the domain and determine
it is for a valid reliable organization or
person. Use
http://www.gleanwhois.org/
 The type of domain is more reliable:
 .gov (government)
 .edu (college or university)
 .org (organization; check and determine if
the organization is reliable)
 .com (commercial; someone paid for this)
 .net (network)
 .k12 (school; may be a grade 5 student)
 About.com, yahoo, etc. (personal)
 Has a country code you are unfamiliar
with; not “.ca”
 Blog, wiki, or social media site that are
not edited
A
Authorship
Who created this site?
 Author is an expert in the field or subject
(do a search for the author and
organization)
 Organization is governmental or non-
profit and is a respected organization in
this field.
 No author is identified
 Author does not have relevant
qualifications
 Organization has commercial interest in
this subject
B
Bias
What is the purpose of this site?
 Accurate Information (check that same
info is on another site)
 The person is an expert on the topic; from
the perspective
 You need a counterpoint to support a
counter-argument
 It is a scholarly article and has cited
sources
 Promotes one point of view without
support
 Only personal interest or opinion is
represented
 Advertising prevalent
 Entertainment site
C
Content
How accurate or trustworthy is
this page?
Is it at my reading level?
 Source is a scholarly journal; peer-
reviewed or edited source
 This page or site has a works cited list or
bibliography
 Information is consistent with other
sources
 It is at a reading level I can understand
 Editing needed. Mistakes in spelling or
grammar throughout this site
 This page or site has no works cited list
or bibliography
 Information is not consistent with other
sources
 This site is too difficult for me to read
with understanding
 Not all aspects of the topic are covered
D
Date
Is the information current
enough?
When was this page created or
updated?
 This is a continuously updated page or site
 Links to information work
 You can find a date updated or posted
 This site was last updated more than a
year ago
 Links to other information are broken

2. Evaluation complete
 I am comfortable that the information on
this site is reliable
 I probably should not use this site for
academic work