Research Guides: Evaluating Internet Resources

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Purpose

Audience

• Consider the intended audience of the page, based on its content, tone and style

• Is this compatible with your needs?

• Web search engines often amass vast results, from memos to scholarly documents

• Many of the resulting items will be peripheral or useless for your research

Source

• Author/producer is identifiable

• Author/producer has expertise on the subject. You may need to trace back in the URL (Internet address) to view a page in a higher directory with background information

• Sponsor/location of the site has appropriate official sanction as shown in the URL
  Examples:

  • .edu for educational or research material

  • .gov for government resources

  • .com for commercially-sponsored sites

  • .org for organization, often professional or non-profit

• Don't take the information presented at face value

• Web sites are rarely refereed or reviewed, as are scholarly journals and books

• Look for

  • point of view

  • evidence of bias

  • Source of the information should be clearly stated, whether original or borrowed

• Determine if content

  • covers a specific time period or is time sensitive for accuracy

  • covers a specific aspect of the topic

  • strives to be comprehensive or selective

• Use additional print and electronic sources to complement the information provided

Currency

• Site has been updated recently, as reflected in the date on the page

Links

• Links are relevant and appropriate

• Don't assume that the linked sites are the best available. Be sure to investigate additional sites on the topic

• Links to remote sites all work (are being maintained)

Style and Functionality

• Site is laid out clearly and logically with well organized subsections

• Writing style is appropriate for the intended audience

• Search capability is offered if the site is extensive

Citing Internet Resources

• Use same citation style that you use for your print citations

• Web site must have all the information for a complete citation

• Consult style manual or web version for correct format

Adapted from: Jacobson, Trudi. Evaluating Web Content. University of Albany, 4/96.
Webpage. http://library.albany.edu/usered/eval/evalweb/ 01/08.

Updated 8/07