1. ABC’s of Research

2. Authority
When looking at a source for authority, you are determining whether the source is credible in the sense of who is writing it.

3. Who created the page and can you contact him/her?
Authority
Who created the page and can you contact him/her?

4. Authority
• Is an author identified as being responsible for the information presented on the web site?

5. Authority
• What credentials are listed for the author(s) and are they qualified to provide the information?

6. • Who published the information?
Authority
• Who published the information?
Did they use outside sources? Are they reputable sources?

7. • What is the purpose of the website?
Accuracy
• What is the purpose of the website?

8. • Is the information clear and easy to understand?
Accuracy
• Is the information clear and easy to understand?

9. • Is the site generally well written?
Accuracy
• Is the site generally well written?

10. Is it free of spelling errors?
Accuracy
Is it free of spelling errors?

11. • Are statistics and other types of factual data verifiable?
Accuracy
• Are statistics and other types of factual data verifiable?

12. Bias
• Get a clue from the domain:
.edu = educational site
.gov = government site
.com = commercial site
.org = non-profit organization site
.net = network
.uk = United Kingdom

13. Bias
Remember- bias is personal opinion. Looking at Bias in a source will help you recognize if the bias is further slanted by fallacies or appeals.

14. • How detailed is the information?
Bias
• How detailed is the information?

15. What goals/objectives does the site meet?
Bias
What goals/objectives does the site meet?

16. Bias
• Is the information presented objectively and with limited advertising?

17. Bias
• Is the sponsor of the site likely to have any particular bias? If so, what type of bias is presented in the article?

18. • Is the content appropriate for the intended audience?
Bias
• Is the content appropriate for the intended audience?

19. Currency
When you look at an article for credibility, you want to look at the currency, or the date in which it was published.

20. When was the page created?
Currency
When was the page created?

21. • How often is the site updated?
Currency
• How often is the site updated?

22. • Is the information on the page outdated?
Currency
• Is the information on the page outdated?

23. • Are there any dead links on the page?
Currency
• Are there any dead links on the page?

24. • Are the links current and updated regularly?
Currency
• Are the links current and updated regularly?

25. Currency
If a hard copy, when was it published? Is this the original edition or a remake?

26. If a hard copy, is it a primary source or a secondary source?
Currency
If a hard copy, is it a primary source or a secondary source?