Evaluating Information on the Internet
World Wide Web is a composite collection of content created and hosted on the internet by millions of organizations and individuals. In order to effectively evaluate information that you find on the internet, consider the following criteria:
Authorship -
- Who wrote this? As Peter Steiner said, “On the Internet,
Nobody Knows You’re a Dog” - Is the author an expert in the field?
- What are author’s affiliations?
- Who is the sponsor or publishing body of the site?
Currency -
- Is the information provided timely? This is particularly important in areas of science, technology, health, and politics.
- Is publication date or “last updated” date included with the information?
- If the information is dated or historical, does the document refer to the source and year, e.g. “Based on 1990 U.S. Census data”?
Objectivity -
- Does the author or web page sponsor have a bias?
- Is more than one viewpoint expressed on the topic?
- Does the author or publishing body have a particular agenda?
Coverage -
- Is the information freely available?
- Is the site complete or under construction?
- Does the information have a print equivalent?
Accuracy/Verifiability -
- Does the information include references to experts in the field or rely on other sources?
- Does the information include a bibliography?
- Was an explanation offered on how the data was gathered and interpreted?
If you need help in evaluating a particular internet resource, please stop by the Journalism Library or contact any of the libraries on campus for assistance!
