Evaluating Sources: How Do you Know If It's Good Information?
Ask the following questions to find out if a resource is appropriate for your need:
| Who? | Who created this information - is it a member of the general public or an expert in the field? Author/sponsor's name clearly given with qualifications and contact information? For web, what is the URL - .edu, .org, .ca, .com, .biz, etc.? |
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| What? | What kind of information is given - how relevant is it to your topic? What is the scope of the coverage - is it a brief overview or does it cover a topic in-depth? Is it narrowly focused or broader? Is there a print equivalent to Web site that might provide more accurate or even more current information? |
| When? | When was the information produced and/or updated? Is it historical or current and is that important to your research? Are the dates clearly indicated or easy to find? |
| Where? | Where does the information contained in the site come from? Are sources cited correctly? Can you verify the information given on the site elsewhere? |
| Why? | Why was this information created? Is it intended as a public service or is it an advertisement? Is the information intended to sway public opinion or merely to inform? Might the author/sponsor of the site have a bias? For web pages, if advertising is present, is it separate from informational content or does it influence the content? |