Evaluating Web Resources                                              A Critical Thinking Skills Guide

The Web offers a wide variety of accessible information, but not all information on the Web is reliable for research. While quantity is readily available, the quality of Web information varies greatly. Web users must first identify and evaluate their own information needs before evaluating the authority, purpose, accuracy, currency, and organization of each selected site.

Know what you need!	What is the purpose of your research?  What question do you need to answer? What type of information will answer your question? Is the Web a good place to look for this information?
	Web Resource Evaluation Criteria
Authority	Who is the author of the web page?  (If you cannot answer this question, you probably should not be using this site for your research!)  What makes this author an expert on the subject? Are the credentials/experience listed for the author? Do the credentials/experience relate to the topic of the Web page? What is the affiliation of the author?
Purpose	Is the purpose of the page stated? For whom was this page developed? Consider the address extension or domain (.edu, .gov, .org, .com, or .net). Who published this site? Was the page created to inform, persuade, or to sell? Are biases stated? How comprehensive is the coverage of the topic?
Accuracy	Is it fact or opinion? Are the facts accurate? How does the information compare to other resources on the same topic? Do other reputable sites link to this page? Has the site been reviewed by other professionals in the field? Are sources for the page cited?
Currency	When was the page created/copyrighted? When was the last time the page was updated? Are there dead links to other Web resources? Does some of the information seem obviously out of date?
Organization	Is the information well written and easy to understand? Is the site easy to navigate? Do the graphics support the text? Are there links to related sites? Evaluate these links separately, since listing them does not mean they are evaluated. How stable or permanent does the site seem? Do you need to copy or download the site to have a permanent record for your research? Would it have been easier or more appropriate to get the information from another source?
	For more on Web Resource Evaluation visit these selected sites:
Further Study	Thinking Critically About World Wide Web Resources. Published by E. Grassian, UCLA College Library. Information Literacy: The Web is not an Encyclopedia. Published by L. Larsen, University of Maryland, College Park.

If the web resource meets your needs and you are satisfied with the results of applying the above criteria, you could have a reliable site to use for your research!