By: Ayah & Maryam

Why? Because…  It’s your responsibility  Even if published, accuracy or objectivity can’t be guaranteed  The information could be outdated or written by someone who isn’t qualified  Otherwise, you might pass on wrong information Remember: Anyone can create a website. 2

A Checklist To Verify Your Websites 3

Currency  Check the date of publishing  Check the last time the website was revised  Make sure the links are up-to-date and not “under construction”  This can determine the usefulness of the site as well as it’s reliability 4

Authority  Source/author should be clear  Contact information should be provided ( address, phone number, fax number, etc.)  Site must have legitimate credentials/qualifications  It’s preferable if the site is supported by an organization or commercial body 5

 The purpose of the website should be obvious  Whether it was constructed for entertainment, information, business, marketing, or another purpose  Can usually determine the purpose of a website by the URL or domain 6 Purpose

Accuracy  The author should be working with/under a respectable institution  The information should have a References list  The information should be somewhat comparable to your previous knowledge of the topic and other sites  The text should be correct, grammar and spelling wise 7

If the author’s name is not mentioned, sometimes you’ll be able figure the author like this:  [.com] = commercial company  [.edu] = academic institution  [.gov] = government agency  [.org] = non-profit organization  [.net] = a network of computers  [.mil] = military site  [.uk]/[.ca]/ etc. = country-specific site 8

Objectivity/Bias The website’s objective should always be to inform and leave the judging part to you.  Do you feel any particular bias in the way the information is presented?  Is the information persuasive towards the audience?  Is the site trying to explain and inform or sway, persuade, or sell? 9

Coverage  Does the site describe itself as selective or comprehensive?  Do feel like the topics are explored deeply?  Do the links on the site extend further than its own?  Is the value of its information comparable to other sites? 10

You can visit Site Explorer anytime to ensure the sites you are browsing have accurate information ! FunFun 11 There are more than 700 fake websites on the Internet

12 FunFun The first website ever was launched in 1991 According to Netrcraft there are 644 million active websites

Video Video 13

References Dalhouse University. (n.d.). 6 Criteria for Websites. Retrieved May 13, 2015, from 6_criteria_for_websites.html University of Maryland. (n.d.). Evaluating Web Sites. Retrieved May 13, 2015, from Wayne State University Libraries. (2015, May 13). Evaluating Websites. Retrieved June 18, 2010, from 14