Use the following criteria to determine the quality of the information from a website.
Authority: Who created the site?
- What is their authority?
- Do they have expertise or experience with the topic?
- What are their credentials and/or institutional affiliation?
- Is organizational information provided?
- Does the URL suggest a reputable affiliation with regard to the topic--personal or official site; type of Internet domain.
- .edu: educational institution
- .org: non-profit organization
- .com: commercial enterprise
- .net: Internet Service Provider
- .gov: governmental body
- .mil: military body
Objectivity: Is the purpose and intention of the site clear, including any bias or particular viewpoint?
- Are the purpose and scope stated?
- Who is the intended audience?
- Is the information clearly presented as being factual or opinion, primary or secondary in origin?
- What criteria are used for inclusion of the information?
- Is any sponsorship or underwriting fully disclosed?
Accuracy: Is the information presented accurate?
- Are the facts documented or well-researched?
- Are the facts similar to those reported in related print or other online sources?
- Are the Web resources for which links are provided quality sites?
Currency: Is the information current?
- Is the content current?
- Are the pages date-stamped with the last update?
Usability: Is the site well-designed and stable?
- Is the site organization logical and easy to maneuver?
- Is the content written at a level that is readable by the intended audience?
- Has attention been paid to presenting the information as error-free (e.g., spelling, punctuation) as possible?
- Is there a readily identifiable link back to the institutional or organizational home page?
- Is the site reliably accessible?