1. Evaluating Information zThe ability to critically evaluate the information in a periodical article or information obtained from a web site is an important skill and MANDATORY for college level research. zSimply finding an article or information from a web site on a given topic is not sufficient. You must read the article and information critically.

2. Evaluating Articles: 5 W’s…….. WHO Who wrote the pages and are they an expert? How can you find out more about the author? Is a biography of the author included? WHAT What does the author say is the purpose of the site? What else might the author have in mind for the site? What makes the site easy to use?

3. WHEN When was the site created? When was the site last updated? WHERE Where does the information come from? Where can I look to find out more about the producer/ sponsor? WHY Why is this information useful for my purpose? Why should I use this information? Why is this page better than another?

4. Evaluating Web Resources zBefore you decide to use that web page as a source for research, keep in mind that ……. ANYONE can publish on the web!!! zThe information you find may not be screened or verified, so it is up to you to critically evaluate the material you find.

5. Check for Accuracy (what) z How reliable is the information?  Is there documentation supporting claims made at the site?

6. Check for Authority (who) z Is the author/source identified? What are their credentials? z Is a credible institution cited? What is the domain?

7. Check for Objectivity (why) z Is the site designed to persuade? Is the information biased? z How much advertising appears on the site?

8. Check for Currency (when) z When was the site designed? When was the site updated? z Are there dead links on the page?

9. POV zFirst, note the URL of the document. Does this document reside on the Web server of an organization that has a clear stake in the issue at hand? (company or political) zDoes this document reside on the Web server of an organization that has a political or philosophical agenda? (abortion or gun control (NRA v Police Organization)

10. Evaluating Information and Critical Thinking z Simply finding an article on a topic is not sufficient. It is important that you read the article critically. z Simply finding a web site on a topic is not sufficient. It is important that you consider the Authority, Accuracy, Objectivity and Currency* of the site. z Finding the information you need for research is only the beginning of the research process. Critical evaluation of all sources is essential to a successful research project. Adapted from: : Kapoun, Jim. "Teaching undergrads WEB evaluation: A guide for library instruction.” C&RL News (July/August 1998): 522-523.