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Checklist

Evaluating the Credibility of Web Documents: Let the Reader Beware

Evaluating a website’s credibility requires critical thinking and a good eye. Savvy web users start the evaluation process by thinking about how they found the site in the first place. They may have accessed the site from the results page of a search engine or by following a link from a reputable site. Perhaps the site was recommended by a friend, which would add credibility. The processes for finding web information may vary, but the reader alone is responsible for determining the validity, truthfulness, and integrity of that information. Because anyone with a computer and an Internet connection can publish on the web, the reader must beware and wisely question all web content.

Unlike the content of journals, magazines, and newspapers found in research-oriented libraries, the content of most websites has not been reviewed by skilled editors. Some web pages do not show authorship, credentials, or sponsoring organizations. The content cannot be verified. These sites have low credibility.

As a frequent web user, you must learn to critically examine web information for credibility. The following checklist of questions about authorship, publisher or sponsor, currency, content quality, and accuracy and organization will help you critically assess the validity of web information.

Authorship

• Who authored this page or article?

• Are the author’s credentials easily found? If not, check the author’s credentials online.

• Is the author affiliated with a reputable organization?

• Is the author’s contact information, such as an email address, easily found?

• Are the About page and the Contact page easy to spot?

• Tip: Use lateral reading Links to an external site.to learn more about the author.

Publisher or Sponsor

• What organization publishes or sponsors this web page? Is the publisher reputable?

• What domain is used in the URL? The domain name gives clues about who published the document (e.g., .com, .org, .edu, .gov, .net).

• Is the site published or sponsored in another country? Look for a two-letter code in the URL: .uk, .au, .br, .hu, .mx, .ca, .in.

• Currency

• When was the web page published or last updated? Readers expect this information at the bottom of the page.

• Is this a website that requires current, updated information (e.g., science, medicine, current events)?

• Are all links on this web page current and working? Broken links are red flags.

Content Quality

• What is the purpose of the web page? For example, does the page entertain, inform, persuade, sell, or express satire?

• Who is the intended audience of the page, based on its content, tone, and style?

• Do you see evidence of bias, and does the author acknowledge the bias?

• Does the site link to other reputable sites? Do those sites in turn link back to the site in question?

• Does the page contain distracting graphics or fill the screen with unwanted ads and pop-ups?

• Is the website secure?

Accuracy and Organization

• Does the information appear to be well researched?

• If the site contains statistics and facts, are sources, dates, and/ or citations provided?

• Is the information well organized with main points clearly presented?

• Is the site well designed and easy to navigate? Good design adds credibility.

• Does the page have broken links or graphics that don’t load?

• Are the graphics appropriately placed and clearly labeled?

• Does the site have spelling, grammar, or usage errors? Careless errors are red flags.