ABCs of Website Evaluation

What is research? Research is how someone gathers information about a subject. You can use these sources for research: Books Periodicals (magazines, journals) Internet Online Databases And so much more!

Research Writing Research writing is writing that is based on evidence (these are your sources). Research writing is meant to either persuade or inform. To do research writing, you first have to do research!

Not All Information Is Good Information How does information make it's way to the internet? How do you know when the information you find is good information?

Evaluating the Reliability of a Source Print sources are fairly reliable because . . . they are generally written by experts they go through a thorough source-checking process before they are published when errors are discovered after publication, they must be corrected Internet sources are more questionable because . . . anyone can be an author of a website websites are not required to go through a fact- checking filter before publishing errors do not have to be corrected

Website Evaluation Criteria Because there is no one monitoring the quality of information on the internet, you MUST evaluate the reliability of a website whenever you use one as a source of information in your research. Use these A(2)BC’s of Website Evaluation: Authority Accuracy Bias Currency

Authority Authority = The information is written by someone who is qualified to discuss the topic. Questions to ask: Is the author’s name given? Is he/she an expert? Is there an included biography and/or contact information? Who is the sponsoring organization of the information?

Authority, cont. Purchased space .com .net .biz .info Nonprofit .org When thinking about the sponsoring organization, you need to consider the domain name. Domain Name = type of organization that published the website. Purchased space .com .net .biz .info Nonprofit .org Education .edu .k12 Government/Country .gov .mil .us .uk .ca

If you can’t find the author, here are some clues to look for . . . Words and phrases to look for: About us, Who Am I, FAQs, For More, Company Information, Profiles, Our Staff, Home E-mail the author If you have no information other than an e-mail link, write a polite e-mail asking for more information. If you have an author’s name but no further information about credentials . . . Search the name in a search engine Include words like profile, resume, or C.V. (curriculum vitae--an academic resume) to narrow your name search You might also include the name of a college or association you can connect with the person

Accuracy Accuracy = The information can be found in multiple sources. Rule of thumb: If you can find the information in three or more separate sources, it is reliable. Questions to Ask: Can you verify the background and/or factual information the author uses? Does the page site its sources? Do the links lead somewhere? Are there suggestions for further reading? Does the page use correct spelling and grammar?

Bias Bias = The information is free of prejudice. Questions to Ask: Is the language free of extreme emotion? Is the purpose of the website to inform or to promote a specific agenda? Is the site trying to sell a product, service, or idea?

Currency Currency = The information is up to date. Questions to Ask: When was the information/data gathered? What date was the information put on the web (copyright date)? When was the website last updated? Is it a problem if the information has not been updated in the last year?

Remember Your ABC’s When choosing websites for research, remember: Authority Accuracy Bias Currency