Evaluating Books, Scholarly & Non-Scholarly, Journals, Articles, Websites

About Evaluating Websites

Innumerable web pages are available on just about every topic. Anyone can produce a website or write for a website.

Websites are the most difficult type of resource to evaluate.

However, the reliability and credibility of any site and the information available must be critically evaluated. A robust critical evaluation of web pages and websites has become a necessary part of the research process.

Criteria for Evaluation: RADAR

Evaluation criteria is a list of questions to help you critically assess information you find on the Internet that you are considering using for your assignments, projects, and research.

 Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs.

• Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?
• Who is the intended audience?
• Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e. not too elementary or advanced for your needs)?
• Have you looked at a variety of sources before determining this is one you will use?
• Would you be comfortable citing this source in your research paper?

 Authority: The source of the information.

• Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor?
• What are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations?
• Is the author qualified to write on the topic?
• Is there contact information, such as a publisher or email address?
• Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source? examples: .com .edu .gov .org .net .ca

 Date: The timeliness of the information.

• When was the information published or posted?
• Has the information been revised or updated?
• Does your topic require current information, or will older sources work as well?
• Are the links functional?

 Appearance: The reliability, truthfulness and correctness of the content.

• Where does the information come from?
• Is the information supported by evidence?
• Has the information been reviewed or refereed?
• Can you verify any of the information in another source or from personal knowledge?
• Does the language or tone seem unbiased and free of emotion?
• Are there spelling, grammar or typographical errors?

 Reason: The reason the information exists.

• What is the purpose of the information? Is it to inform, teach, sell, entertain or persuade?
• Do the authors/sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear?
• Is the information fact, opinion or propaganda?
• Does the point of view appear objective and impartial?
• Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional or personal biases

Test Yourself - Evaluating Websites

Printable Handout

Use this evaluation worksheet to help guide you through the criteria suggested to evaluate sources you find on the Internet.