Evaluation of Internet Websites

If used properly and in conjunction with other sources, the internet can be an excellent research tool. The web can provide you with the most up to date statistics, regulations, verdicts and news available. However it can also provide you with conjecture, opinions, half-truths and downright lies.

Your job as students and researchers is to determine the quality of a website and the information contained within it, before using it as a source in an academic research paper. This is often difficult to determine.

The following is a list of questions to ask your self when considering a website.

Authority
• Is the author’s name readily found on the site?
• Does the author have credentials in the subject matter?
• Is there an organization responsible for the content?
• If so, is it a reputable organization?
• Is contact information available for the author or sponsoring organization?

Accuracy
• Is the information verifiable through other sources
• If statistics or facts are given, does it give the original source of the information

Currency
• Is there a “last revised on” date at the bottom?
• If so, has the site been recently added to or updated?
• Are the articles, news items and links on the page current?

If you can answer yes to the above questions you are on the right track. There are, however, a few other items you should consider before making a final decision on whether to use a site or not.

Objectivity – Is the site blatantly biased?

Just because a website is biased does not mean it is not a quality source. It just means you have to be more careful. If you choose to use a biased website make sure that:

• The site meets all the above criteria for a quality website
• You recognize the bias
• You balance out the bias by checking a website or another resource which has the opposite bias
(For example – if researching a paper on gun violence, it is perfectly appropriate to use the National Rifle Association website as a source of information as long as you understand that the NRA is staunchly pro-gun rights, and balance that with information from another organization like The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence.)

Domain – what’s behind the .com, .net, .org, .gov, and .edu?
You should be aware of what type of organization is behind a website and how that influences the purpose and presentation of materials on that site.
• A .com or .net is a corporate site. These are a good source for basic product information – (size, weight, features, capabilities etc.) These are not a good source for objective product reviews (does it do what it says it does and does it do it well)

o be aware that they are ultimately trying to sell you something
o be aware that they are presenting their company and their products in the best possible light

• A .org is a nonprofit organization which is likely to be focused on a specific interest group or issue and have an agenda. These are a good source for topical research about current issues (gay marriage, gun control, endangered species) as they will have the most up to date news, cases and pending legislation regarding the issue. They are not a good source for objective analysis of an issue.

o be aware that these sites can be highly biased and are designed to persuade you

• A .gov is a federal or state government agency site. Regardless of how you feel about the government – you can feel confident that the statistical and factual information found on these sites are usable in your research.

• A .edu is a school or college based site. This domain encompasses everything from Miss Jones’ kindergarten class homepage, to Harvard Medical School’s faculty pages so take extra care when checking author credentials.

With careful evaluation, you should be able to determine if a site fits the criteria for your research needs. If you still aren’t sure whether the information is good or not, DON’T USE IT! Ultimately, YOU are responsible for the factual contents of your paper.

Some Sites to Consider:

History of the Fisher Price Airplane
http://www.weathergraphics.com/tim/fisher/

Encyclopedia Mythica
http://www.pantheon.org/

All About Explorers
http://www.allaboutexplorers.com/

Smoking Sides
http://www.smokingsides.com/

HEALL: Health Education Alliance for Life and Longevity
http://www.heall.com/

Updated 09/30/2008