Time to evaluate. Now that you have gathered the resources for your information, it is time to determine if they are credible websites to use. Follow the guidelines and tools offered here to determine if the website you intend to use is fishy.
Always evaluate websites for information quality and reliability because anyone with a bit of knowledge about computers and the Internet can put information on the World Wide Web. Academic research is different from personal research because academic research requires current, correct, and well-documented information written by institutions/people who are authorities on their subjects. Sites should be unbiased UNLESS biased information is useful for a particular assignment. The World Wide Web is a place of business, and sites that want to sell products or services have a different purpose from sites that exist to educate. Students can use the following ABCs as a guide to critically evaluate information on the Web.
Authority: Who what organization is publishing the content? Do they have the knowledge and expertise to publish information about this topic? This information is often found in the About Us or Contact section of a site.
Bias/Purpose: Is this a commercial site that is trying to sell a service or a product or a site that exists primarily to educate? Does the publishing group and/or author have a bias? Are there multiple points-of-view analyzed and expressed?
Content Does the content fit the research question/assignment? Is the information correct? Read background information about your topic from a reputable source such as a textbook or database first.
Currency Is there a publication or update date attached to the article or site? Look at the end of an entry or the bottom of a page.