Sheridan College Libraries

1. Authority-Who wrote it?
   
   
   1. Why is authority important?
      • Anyone can publish anything on the Web! It is often difficult to determine a web page's authorship. Even if a page is signed, qualifications are not usually given. Publisher/sponsor responsibility usually is not indicated.
   2. What denotes authority?
      • Is there an author? What are the author's qualifications for writing about this subject?
      • Is there a sponsor? How reputable is the sponsor? Is there a phone number or mailing address legitimizing the sponsor?
   3. Where can we look for authority?
      • headers or footers showing affiliation
      • URL
      • domains (such as .edu, .com, .org, .mil, .gov)

   top

2. Accuracy-Is it correct?
   
   
   1. Why is accuracy important?
      • Again, anyone can publish anything on the Web! Unlike traditional print resources, web resources rarely have editors or fact checkers. Web standards to ensure accuracy have yet to be fully developed.
   2. How reliable and free from error is the information?
      • Is there a bibliography for factual sources?
      • Does the site have an editor or someone who can check facts?
   3. Where can we look for accuracy?
      • In the claims made by the author. In the text, for citations and for references to other sources. In the text, for punctuation and spelling errors.

   top

3. Objectivity-Is it fair?
   
   
   1. Why is objectivity important?
      • Often, the goals of the sponsors and/or authors are not clearly stated. The Web is frequently used as a "virtual soapbox".
   2. Does the information show a minimum of bias?
      • Are the organization's biases clearly stated?
      • Is the page designed to sway opinion?
      • Is there any advertising on the page, and is it easily distinguished from the content?

   top

4. Currency-Is it current?
   
   
   1. Why is currency important?
      • Publication or revision dates are not always included. Dates, even if included, have many meanings:
        • when the material was first written
        • when the material was first placed on the Web
        • when the material was last revised
   2. Is the publication date clearly labeled? When was the page last updated?
   3. Have any of the links expired or moved?

   top

5. Coverage-Is it complete?
   
   
   1. Why is complete coverage important?
      • Web coverage often differs from print coverage. It's often difficult to determine the extent of coverage on the Web.
   2. What topics are covered?
      • How much depth is given to exploring the topic(s)? Does the page succeed in addressing these topics, or has something significant been left out?
      • What does this page offer that is not found elsewhere?

top

Help with Evaluating Web Resources

Since web resources are unfiltered, it is essential that they be critically evaluated. If you desire assistance with your critical assessment, the following sources are great places to begin. Each of these clearinghouses evaluates sites for academic usefulness. You may want to consider using them to set up your own "webliography" for a particular class or assignment.

Argus Clearinghouse: http://www.clearinghouse.net/
The Scout Report: http://scout.cs.wisc.edu/

top