This document provides tips for evaluating the reliability of information found online. It advises checking the domain extension (.edu, .gov, etc.) to determine the source, looking for potential biases, reviewing dates and language used, ensuring facts make sense, and confirming information from more trustworthy sources when possible. The overall message is to approach online information critically and cross-check facts rather than accepting them at face value.

2. .what?
• .gov: put out by our government, likely reliable
• .edu: put out by an educational institution, likely
reliable
• .org: put out by an organization, could be reliable,
but could be biased
• .com: put out by a company, information should be
confirmed elsewhere

3. Do you recognize the organization?
• Could the information be biased?
• Would they want to convince you to take one side
or the other?
Check the About page
Look for persuasive language
Is the information paid for?

4. Try to find a date- is the information
recent?
Is the information something that needs to
be up to date, or is it already well
established?
• Population of Wisconsin vs. birth date of
Christopher Columbus

5. How does the website look?
• If it looks like it was put together by a four-year-
old, the information probably isn’t carefully
checked
• Just because the site looks good, doesn’t mean
the information is
 Tree octopus

6. Are there any “facts” that simply don’t
make sense?
Is anything too good to be true?
Can you confirm elsewhere?
• Preferably, from a source that is more reliable

7. If you aren’t sure, try to find the same fact
on a more trustworthy website