1. Citing Electronic Sources St. Francis Xavier University
Evaluating
&
Citing Electronic Sources
Elaine MacLean
St. Francis Xavier University
October 2006

2. What do we hope to learn? Evaluate information with a critical eye
Use criteria to evaluate credible web sources
Use APA or MLA to cite electronic source

3. (2) States of MIND Be Suspicious
Critically evaluate every page you find

4. (5) Questions
?? Who
?? What
?? Why
?? When
?? How

5. ?? WHO ?? Is there an author? What makes him/her an expert?
Is she/he with a reputable organization?
Can you verify the credentials or contact information?

6. WHO are the AUTHORS? http://www.alexchiu.com/

7. ?? WHAT ?? What is the point/intent of the website?
What is the particular audience?
What kind of information - general or comprehensive?

8. WHAT – FUN or REAL? http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/

9. ?? WHY ?? Is the website providing just one point of view?
Is it biased or does it push a specific perspective?
Does the site contain advertising?
If there are ads, is there a conflict of interest between them and the content?   

10. World Trade Organization (WTO) ?

11. ?? WHEN ??
Is it clear when the information was published? When was it last updated? If there are links to other websites, do they work?
Depending on your subject area (Business/Science), current information is vital.
The top or bottom of a web page is normally the first place to look for a date.

12. Most Current?

13. ?? HOW ??
Is the site easy to navigate? Are there obvious signs of errors or typos? Can factual information be verified using other sources?
Ease of navigation or the ability to verify facts quickly is important.
Time is valuable! If you're having problems with a source, there is probably a more efficient way to find what you're looking for.

14. CITING ELECTRONIC SOURCES - APA
Online periodical:
Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author,  C. C. (2000).     Title of article. Title of  Periodical, xx, xxxxxx.     Retrieved month day, year, from source.
Online document:
Author, A. A. (2000). Title of work.     Retrieved month day, year, from source.

15. Components of a URL

16. APA - Internet article based on a print source (same)
VandenBos, G., Knapp, S., & Doe, J. (2001). Role of reference elements in the selection of resources by psychology undergraduates [Electronic version]. Journal of Bibliographic Research, 5,

17. APA - Internet article based on a print source (different)
VandenBos, G., Knapp, S., & Doe, J. (2001). Role of reference elements in the selection of resources by psychology undergraduates. Journal of Bibliographic Research, 5, Retrieved October 13, 2001, from

18. APA - Article in an Internet-only journal
Fredrickson, B. L. (2000, March 7). Cultivating positive emotions to optimize health and well-being. Prevention & Treatment, 3, Article 0001a. Retrieved November 20, 2000, from

19. APA - Stand-alone document, no author identified, no date
GVU's 8th WWW user survey. (n.d.). Retrieved August 8, 2000, from

20. APA - Electronic copy of a journal article, retrieved from database
Borman, W. C., Hanson, M. A., Oppler, S. H., Pulakos, E. D., & White, L. A. (1993). Role of early supervisory experience in supervisor performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 78, Retrieved October 23, 2000, from PsycARTICLES database.

21. APA - Citations in Text of Electronic Material
(Myers, 2000, ¶ 5)
(Beutler, 2000, Conclusion section, para. 1)

22. MLA – Scholarly Project
Victorian Women Writers Project. Ed. Perry Willett. May Indiana U. 26 June 2002 <

23. MLA – Information Database
Thomas: Legislative Information on
the Internet. 19 June Lib. of
Congress, Washington. 18 May <

24. MLA – Article in a Journal
Sohmer, Steve. "12 June 1599: Opening Day at Shakespeare's Globe." Early Modern Literary Studies 3.1 (1997): 46 pars. 26 June 2002 <

25. MLA – Work from a Library Subscription Service
Youakim, Sami. "Work-Related Asthma." American Family Physician 64 (2001): Health Reference Center. Gale. Bergen County Cooperative Lib. System, NJ. 12 Jan <

26. MLA – PERSONAL WEBSITE
Lancashire, Ian. Home page. 28 Mar May <
ass.utoronto.ca:8080/~ian/>.

27. FINAL THOUGHTS GOOD to be CRITICAL WHO/WHAT/WHYWHEN/HOW
Think BEFORE you choose it!