Tech Savvy: Evaluating Websites

CREDIBILITY

Anyone can post information on the Internet. Anyone. Who do you trust? Is this information based on primary or secondary sources? You may need to look at the HOME section or the “About Us” for this information.  

ACCURACY

Do there appear to be errors on the page (for example, facts, spelling, grammar, etc.)? Does the information on the page make logical sense? Can you verify the information elsewhere? Do the authors of the page cite the sources of information?

RELIABILITY:

All websites include information. Consider the authors’ purposes in creating the website? Is the content trustworthy? Is it free of bias? Look for citations or a list of materials used in the creation of the page.

DATE:

Some information on the Internet is old, dating back to the mid 1990’s. When you search for information on the Internet, how do you find information that is current and up-to-date?