1. 6 Criteria for Evaluating a Website!
Ms. Fauss
ens/Evaluating%20Websites.pdf

2. Domains
.edu: educational (can be anything from serious university research to a student’s faculty member’s home page, which vary in reliability)
.gov: governmental (usually contains reliable data)
.com: commercial (may be trying to sell a product)
.net: network (may provide services to commercial or individual customers)
.org: organization (usually created by a nonprofit institution; may be trying to persuade the reader; may be biased)
.mil: United States military sites, agencies, and some academies

3. Is there an author or organization listed?
Authority
Is there an author or organization listed?
Are the author(s) qualifications or credentials listed?
Where is the document published? Check the URL domain (.edu, .org, .com, .gov).

4. Is the author or organization trying to persuade you?
Objectivity
Is the author or organization trying to persuade you?
Is a particular point of view being presented?
Is the information presented free of advertising? If there is advertising, is it clearly a different topic from the informational content?

5. Is the information accurate?
Accuracy
Is the information accurate?
Are the sources for any factual information clearly listed?
Can the same information be found in another source?
ƒ How does this information compare with other sources of information on this topic?
Are their spelling errors on the page?

6. Currency Is the site up to date? When was the page produced?
ƒ When was it last updated?
ƒ Is any information on the page outdated?
ƒ Are the links up-to-date? Are there references to sites which have moved?

7. Does the page meet your research needs?
Relevancy
Does the page meet your research needs?
Does the information on the site match the topic in the title?

8. Is the site visually appealing?
Aesthetics
Is the site visually appealing?
Is the site laid out clearly and logically with well organized sections?
Is the site easy to navigate through?