Evaluating Online Sources
Before going online in search of information for your class project or homework, be sure to develop a working knowledge of the subject. Ideally, web site information should support existing knowledge, which, in turn, will allow you to evaluate quality and reliability of the sources you find.
Evaluation Criteria
When evaluating a web site or page, it is useful to apply the same criteria you would apply to printed sources:
accuracy
- Can it be verified by information from a different source?
- Are there many errors? (If so, this might indicate that the page was quickly put together)
- Is the author a well-regarded name you recognize?
- Does the author have appropriate certifications, degrees, or experience?
- Is the site published by or in conjunction with a reputable institution?
- Which aspects or topics related to the issue are included (or not included)?
- Is the topic covered in depth?
- Does the page include references to other sources (bibliography) for further research?
- Is the material clearly dated?
- When was the page published or last updated?
- Who publishes or sponsors the site?
- Does the page contain advertising material disguised as information?
- Is the author presenting opinions as facts?
Types of Sites and Their Purpose
It is important to determine what type of web site you are reviewing, since the purpose of the site usually affects its objectivity and reliability of information presented. Generally, web sites fall into one of six types, each having a different purpose:
- business and marketing
- entertainment
- reference and information
- news
- advocacy of a particular point of view or program
- personal sites and pages
Types of Sites and Domain Name Extensions
Often, it is helpful to note the web site domain name extension, also called top-level domain. The seven most common domain name extensions were created in 1980s:- .com (commercial, e.g., www.ebay.com - eBay, Inc.)
- .org (organization or advocacy group, e.g. www.ncahs.org - National College Athlete Honor Society)
- .net (network, online community, e.g. www.theforce.net - Star Wars fan community)
- .edu (reserved for US educational institutions, e.g. www.ttu.edu - Texas Tech University)
- .int (reserved for international organizations, e.g. www.who.int - World Health Organization)
- .gov (reserved for the US Government, e.g. www.ed.gov - U.S. Department of Education)
- .mil (reserved for the US military, e.g. www.defenselink.mil - U.S. Department of Defense)
Only .gov and .mil are tightly controlled. Any site with these extensions will be either US government or military sites. Sites with .edu are educational in nature, but the controls have relaxed, so review the site a bit more carefully. The .int is similar to .org, but has had limited use. The remaining three, .com, .org, and .net are open to anyone, so take extra care verifying sources with these TLDs.
There are also over 240 country-code domain name extensions, such as .uk for the UK, .de for Germany, .au for Australia. In some countries, top-level domains are used in combination with country-code domain name extensions (e.g., .gov.uk or .com.au) and can be regulated by the respective governments.
In 2001 and 2002, seven new domain name extensions have been approved by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the technical co-ordination body responsible for the domain name system of the Internet:
- .biz (business, e.g. www.gamesindustry.biz - Global Video Games Industry)
- .museum (museum, e.g. www.smithsonian.museum - Smithsonian)
- .name (individual, e.g. www.dean.edwards.name - personal web site of Dean Edwards, UK)
- .pro (professional, e.g. www.sewell.cpa.pro - Sewell & Sewell, Certified Public Accountants)
- .aero (aviation, e.g. www.srilankan.aero - SriLankan Airlines)
- .coop (co-operative, e.g. www.ncba.coop - National Cooperative Business Association)
- .info (general, e.g. www.ejbiotechnology.info - Electronic Journal of Biotechnology)
Additional Resources
- Texas Tech University Library - Steps to Library Research
- The Library of Congress - Evaluating Internet Resources
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