top of page

Evaluating Internet Resources

 

Basic steps in evaluating a website:

 

  • Check the domain -- (.gov, .edu, & .org are most reliable)

  • Check to see it isn't a personal page (look for ~ in the address or look for a service provider such as aol in the URL). (Adapted from http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html)

  •  

  • Who published the page? (Look at the first part of the URL -- through the domain. Truncate if necessary. In other words, eliminate everything after the domain.

  • Who is the author? Is there contact information? Google the authors' names. (What? No author? Why do you want to use it?)

  • Check to see who registered the site by completing a "WHOIS" @ http://www.networksolutions.com/whois/index.jsp

  • Look at the "last updated" date. Is it current?

  • Is the information quality? reliable? Are references/studies cited?

  • See who else is linking to the site:

    • ​Run a search on alexa.com

    • From Google, do an advanced limiter search by typing "link:" and then paste the url

 

Grade the Websites You Are Using:
bottom of page