It is important to be able to evaluate the quality of information provided on a website, particularly if you are going to incorporate that information into your work. Since any person or organization can create a website, the user must take on the responsibility for determining the accuracy and relevance of the material on that site. This page serves as a guide to help you assess websites.
Use the ABC test to help you determine the credibility of a website.
Who is the author, publisher, source, or sponsor?
What are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations?
Is the author qualified to write on the topic?
What do other scholars, professionals, instructors, etc. have to say about the author of the website?
Is there contact information such as a publisher or e-mail address?
What is the purpose of the information? Is it to inform, to teach, to sell, to entertain?
Do the authors or sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear?
Is the information fact, opinion, or propaganda?
Does the point of view appear objective and impartial?
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?
Are the links functional?
Look at the web address for clues about the quality of the information. The last part of a website address is the domain suffix and can give you an idea about the quality of the site. Some common examples are .com, .org, .edu, and .gov.
Restricted top level domains (only qualified entities can use these domains):
Unrestricted top level domains (anyone, good or bad, can use these domains):