Five questions to ask about all information you are considering using in your academic work:
Is it Relevant? - Does it answer one of your research questions? Does it contribute to your core knowledge of your topic?
Is it Current? - Is the information current enough for your project?
Is it Accurate? - Is the information provided correct?
Is it Authoritative? - Does the author have the necessary expertise on the topic?
Is it Objective? - Is there a biased point of view to the information?
Using information you find on the Web is a little different than using information found in traditional library resources such as books, magazines, journals, and newspapers. Why? Because:
The ABCs of Web page evaluation provide an easy-to-remember set of quick criteria to apply to any and all information you come across on the Web. Authority (relevant credentials) Who is presenting this information, and what are their related qualifications? Is there an individual author listed, or is the information coming from a group or organization? If an individual author is listed, can you determine if he or she has relevant education and experience? Can you verify his/her qualifications? If a group/organization authored the material, who are they? Are they a nationally recognized group? How long have they been around? Who is on their staff? How about their Board of Directors? Bias (objectivity) What is the purpose of this Web site? Is it designed to present factual information as a public service, or is its purpose to persuade readers to adopt a particular viewpoint? Does it exist to make a profit? Researchers can use biased information as long as they proceed with caution. Put biased information into context (“According to the National Rifle Association, gun control fails in its fundamental purpose.”) and be sure to double-check statistics and “facts” from biased sights against reliable, non-biased sources. Currency (date) Is the material current enough to support your research?
Anyone can publish anything on the Web
Most information on the Web does not go through any sort of review process
The quality of information on the Web varies wildly
It is up to you to evaluate anything & everything you find on the Web