Evaluate Online
Information
The
internet contains a vast amount of information. Online information
can come from anywhere. How do you know whether information you find
on the internet is reliable and appropriate for your assignment?
To
evaluate online information ask a few questions – don’t take things
at face value!
If you answer “no” to any of the following questions it doesn’t mean
you can’t use a website - you just need to be aware of these factors
if you use the information.
Who
Is
the creator of the webpage easy to identify?
Is the creator authoritative/credible? What are their
qualifications?
Does the creator
have any affiliations with other organisations or interests? Is
information on the website biased, controversial or misleading?
The quality of
information found is often directly related to who is putting it on
the web. Consider whether you would ask a vet for advice about a
toothache or would you prefer a dentist’s opinion?
What
What topics are covered? How in-depth is the material covered?
Who is the target audience? (Is the level appropriate for your
purpose?)
Is the purpose of the web site stated? Is it scholarly or
informational?
Is the site free of grammatical, spelling and other typographical
errors?
If the site is a commercial site, is it obviously being used as a
marketing tool?
Are rules about the use of the content clearly stated? (Look for a
copyright statement).
When
How
up to date is the information?
When was it last updated?
If links are provided are they active and do they reflect current
information?
URLs
The
unique address or URL of a webpage will usually tell you what
country the site comes from and what type of organisation produced
it:
.
com commercial site
edu
academic site
gov
government site
org
usually a non-profit organization
net
networked service provider
asn an
association
.
au sites from Australia
uk
sites from the United Kingdom
nz
sites from New Zealand
URLs without a country code at the end are usually from the USA
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