1. How do you know that the information you found online is valid ?

2. Is there a clear author identified? Who is the author? Is the author qualified? That is are they a professor, academic scholar, business professional or someone else who has the credentials necessary to write the information?

3. Who is sponsoring or paying for the website? Is it a reputable business? Or an individual selling something? Or a non-profit organization? Is there a link for more information about either the sponsor or the author?

4. If there is no information about a sponsor or author then the domain name can give you some ideas. Is it a.gov or a.org? If so it is probably more valid and authoritative than a.com? As a.com indicates that something is being sold or promoted for commercial gain and profit.

7. The following websites may or may not be valid and accurate. Visit each one and decide if you think they are accurate or not.

8. http://www.car-accidents.com/pages/stats.html

10. http://www.fars.ngtsa.dot.gov/Main/index.aspx

11. http://www.canada.gc.ca/main_e.html

13.  If in doubt about a site’s validity, find another site or go to a journal or database for information  Remember that as a general rule a.com is trying to sell something and so their information may not be as valid as what you find on a.org or a.gov but this is not always the case.  Use common sense when evaluating web pages and the information on them. Just because it is written online does not mean it is true or valid.