Currency
- Is the website updated and maintained?
- How current is the information?
- Understand that the phrase "Last updated" could just indicate simple stylistic changes in colors or layout - not necessarily any updates or corrections of the page's content.
Relevance
- Does the information meet your research needs?
- Is the information basic or advanced?
- Is coverage of the topic complete or does it leave out important information?
- Does it offer different perspectives?
- Is there a bibliography? Are the sources mentioned relevant and credible?
- How does the content compare to other resources on the topic?
Authority
- Who authored the website?
- Are they an authority on the subject?
- If the author is an organization, what do you know about its purpose?
Accuracy
- Can the accuracy of the information presented be verified via non-web sources?
- Are there basic spelling or grammatical errors?
- Is it written for a specific audience?
- Does the information fit in with other sources you have found on the topic?
- Does the author use footnotes or other source citations to verify their information?
Purpose
- Does the site present fact or opinion?
- Is the purpose of the site to inform? To sell? To persuade?
- Does the site show multiple sides of an issue? Bias does not necessarily mean you must reject a source, but be sure that you can identify it.
- Who is the intended audience? Advanced researchers? Young students? Members of an organization?
- Is there advertising?
[Note: Adapted from Iowa State University's Evaluating Websites: Information Literacy Guide.]
