Anyone can post information and create content for the internet. In order to get the best and most accurate information, you need to know where it comes from.
*Don't take information for granted!
*Evaluate your sources!
*Don't take information for granted!
*Evaluate your sources!
Ways to Determine Credibility and Evaluate Sources
Home page
Always look at the home page, or main page, of any Web site. Look for a link that says "home" or enter the Web address only through the domain name. For example, if you were on the page http://www.amnesty.org/en/demand-dignity, you would delete the information from the end to result in http://www.amnesty.org. On the home page, you can find more information. Especially check out the "About Us" link, which will sometimes reveal the author or sponsor.
Author
Look for who the author is and what you can find out about that person or organization. What are the author's qualifications? If there is no author, think twice before using the source.
Sponsor
Look for who owns the site. Is it a reputable group or organization? If so, that is a good sign, even if no individual author is listed. If you cannot tell what group or individual developed the site, think twice before using the source.
Date
Is the information current? For many disciplines, the currency of information is vital.
Documentation
Does the source tell readers where its facts are from? If the source mentions many details or statistics with no documentation, be wary.
Type of site
Determine the type of site you are considering.
Is it a database or other site recommended by the library? Sources retrieved through your school library have already been screened as credible.
Is this a blog or homepage owned by an individual person? If so, you want to avoid it unless you can verify the person's credentials.
Is it a wiki? A wiki is a Web site where any user can modify the information, and thus there is no way to verify authorship. Examples of wikis include Wikipedia, Wiktionary, and Wikiquotes. These sources may provide a general overview or lead to more credible sources, but avoid using them in an essay.
Is it an online periodical or online version of a print publication? Examples of online periodicals include Slate.com, Salon.com, and Wired.com, and examples of print publications on the Web include Nytimes.com and Newsweek.com. If you are using a periodical on the Web, you can feel more secure.
Ways Not to Determine Credibility
Search engine
Do not assume that the top results from a search engine list are necessarily credible. Search engines have different methods for organizing and ordering results. You are likely just looking at the most popular results, not the best ones.
Looking at the end of the URL for .org or .edu
Do not rely on just the domain type to determine credibility. Anyone can begin their own .org Web site; the .org itself does not indicate the quality of the source. Many pages on .edu domains are created by students and are thus not the best sources to cite.
*Sourced from http://www.ivcc.edu/stylebooks/stylebook6.aspx?id=14724
Home page
Always look at the home page, or main page, of any Web site. Look for a link that says "home" or enter the Web address only through the domain name. For example, if you were on the page http://www.amnesty.org/en/demand-dignity, you would delete the information from the end to result in http://www.amnesty.org. On the home page, you can find more information. Especially check out the "About Us" link, which will sometimes reveal the author or sponsor.
Author
Look for who the author is and what you can find out about that person or organization. What are the author's qualifications? If there is no author, think twice before using the source.
Sponsor
Look for who owns the site. Is it a reputable group or organization? If so, that is a good sign, even if no individual author is listed. If you cannot tell what group or individual developed the site, think twice before using the source.
Date
Is the information current? For many disciplines, the currency of information is vital.
Documentation
Does the source tell readers where its facts are from? If the source mentions many details or statistics with no documentation, be wary.
Type of site
Determine the type of site you are considering.
Is it a database or other site recommended by the library? Sources retrieved through your school library have already been screened as credible.
Is this a blog or homepage owned by an individual person? If so, you want to avoid it unless you can verify the person's credentials.
Is it a wiki? A wiki is a Web site where any user can modify the information, and thus there is no way to verify authorship. Examples of wikis include Wikipedia, Wiktionary, and Wikiquotes. These sources may provide a general overview or lead to more credible sources, but avoid using them in an essay.
Is it an online periodical or online version of a print publication? Examples of online periodicals include Slate.com, Salon.com, and Wired.com, and examples of print publications on the Web include Nytimes.com and Newsweek.com. If you are using a periodical on the Web, you can feel more secure.
Ways Not to Determine Credibility
Search engine
Do not assume that the top results from a search engine list are necessarily credible. Search engines have different methods for organizing and ordering results. You are likely just looking at the most popular results, not the best ones.
Looking at the end of the URL for .org or .edu
Do not rely on just the domain type to determine credibility. Anyone can begin their own .org Web site; the .org itself does not indicate the quality of the source. Many pages on .edu domains are created by students and are thus not the best sources to cite.
*Sourced from http://www.ivcc.edu/stylebooks/stylebook6.aspx?id=14724