This document provides guidance on evaluating websites for research purposes. It outlines 5 key things to check on a website: currency, authority, accuracy, relevance, and point of view. For each category, it describes characteristics of both good and bad websites. For example, for authority it notes good websites list author credentials and have reputable domain names, while bad websites do not provide author information or have questionable domain names. The document aims to help students critically evaluate websites and determine their reliability and usefulness for research.

1. By Mrs. Rannow
http://www.liveoutloudproductionstudio.com/webdesignimages/website-evaluation.jpg

2.  You should be checking 5 things to determine if a
website will be valuable to your research:
Currency
Authority
Accuracy
Relevance
Point of View

3. On a Good Page: On a Bad Page:
It was produced  The page was not
recently. produced recently.
The page was not
It was updated updated recently.
recently.  The links are not
The links are current. current.
There are few or no  Many links are dead.
dead links. The information on the
page is outdated.
The information on the
page is up-to-date.

4. On a Good Page: On a Bad Page:
The author is separate  The webmaster is the
from the webmaster. only name listed, if any are
The site is hosted by a listed at all.
reputable group (.gov,  The site is not hosted by
.edu) a reputable group.
 The site is not sponsored
The site is sponsored
by a known group or
by a recognized group
organization.
or organization.
 The source is unreliable.
The source of the
information is reliable.  If there is an author, no
credentials are listed.
The site has received
awards.

5. On a Good Page: On a Bad Page:
You can find the author.  You can’t figure out
who wrote the
The information is
information.
accurate.
 The information is not
The document was accurate.
written for informational  The document was
purposes. written to inflame or
The author is qualified to incite.
write about the topic.  The person writing the
There is a way to contact document does not have
the author. expertise in the field.
 If there is an author,
there is no way to contact

6. On a Good Page: On a Bad Page:
The title of the page  The title does not
clearly represents the represent the contents.
contents.  The links do not match
The links make sense on the content of the page.
the page.  There are more images
than text.
There is a balance  The information is not
between the text and the cited.
images.  The information is not
There is a bibliography. accurate and/or does not
The page contains match your purpose.
accurate information that is
useful for your purpose.

7. On a Good Page: On a Bad Page:
The information provides  The information is
both points of view. slanted.
 You can verify the  You can’t verify the
information elsewhere. information is factual.
 Opinions are expressed
 If there are opinions in an inflammatory way.
expressed, they are expressed  The site is a mask for
in such a way as not to be advertising.
inflammatory.  Those that link to the
The site is not a mask for site are not reputable.
advertising.
Other people and
organizations who link to the
site are reputable.

8. Currency: If your page is current and updated regularly and the
links are up-to-date and…
Authority: If your page lists the author’s credentials and its
domain is a preferred one and…
Accuracy: If your page lists an author who is qualified and who can
be contacted and has information that fits your purpose and…
Relevance: The title and links make sense on the page, there is a
bibliography and accurate information with a balance of pictures
and…
Point of View: If your page provides unbiased information with
limited advertising and it presents both points of view then…

9. Kapoun, Jim. "Teaching undergrads WEB evaluation: A guide for library
instruction." C&RL News (July/August 1998): 522-523