ABCs of Webpage Evaluation – How Suitable is your Site?

High School Level

MLA/APA (Circle one) Citation: Domain

name guide

Domain name and associated meaning? org: non-

Author Credibility Bias profit orgs
❏ Is an author identified? ❏ Can you determine author bias for one or more of the following
❏ Have you ever heard of this author? reasons? edu:
❏ What makes the author credible? ❏ Emotional Language American
❏ Political Leanings college or
❏ Education? ________ __ ❏ Personal investment in topic university
❏ Reputation of author/publisher
❏ Experience? _______ ___ ❏ Missing information or selective use of facts gov: U.S.
❏ Editorial/opinion piece government
❏ Research Technique? _______ ___ ❏ Other ________ ______
com: for
❏ Reputation? _______ __ ❏ What is the effect of this bias? profit
company
❏ What is the reputation of the publisher or sponsor of this information?
net: Internet
related
Type “link:URL (the URL of this website)” in a search engine. Is this webpage linked to company
o Other credible sites?
o Only itself ~: personal
webpage

Remember,
Currency Coverage gov, edu,
❏ Is up-to-date information critical for your research? ❏ How does this source cover the content?
and org
❏ Yes – Why? ❏ General (more basic) overview
don’t rule
❏ No – Why not? ❏ Primary Source
out bias, but
❏ Maybe? Not sure. ❏ Thorough investigation
rather helps
❏ Other: ______________ ________
you consider
the author’s
agenda
❏ Has the information on this subject changed since the publication date? ❏ Does the source information complement or conflict with other
❏ Yes – How? sources? If so, how?
❏ No – Why not?
❏ Maybe? Not sure. ❏ Is this information relevant to your search?
 References

Bromann-Bender, J. (2013). You Can't Fool Me: Website Evaluation. Library Media Connection, 31(5), 42-45. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier

database.

Harper, M. (2011). Reference sources and services for youth. New York, NY: Neal-Schuman.

Olin & Uris Libraries. (2016). Evaluating web sites: Criteria and tools. Retrieved from http://olinuris.library.cornell.edu/ref/research/webeval.html

Petrie, L. (2016, September). web evaluation tool [Table].

Schrock, Kathy. (2017, January 16). Critical evaluation of information. Kathy Schrock's Guide to Everything. Retrieved from

http://www.schrockguide.net/critical-evaluation.html