Search Strategy: Evaluating Web Sources

CURRENCY

• Does the page display a date or copyright? When was the last update?
• How current are the links? Are any broken?

Why is this important?

• Publication dates give a sense of whether the site is ‘active’ or whether it is an orphan site.
• Dates may indicate when the site was last updated, but also when the material was first written, revised, or published on the web.

RELIABILITY

• Is the information reliable and error-free? (Facts, spelling, grammar, etc.)
• Can you tell if someone fact-checked the site – is there an editor?
• To what other pages does the site link? Is the information presented clearly and effectively?

Why is this important?

• Web resources rarely have fact-checkers unless the sponsoring organization does.
• No web standards exist to ensure accuracy.

AUTHORITY

• Is there an author? What are their credentials? Is there a way to contact them?
• What organization is responsible for the content? Are they reputable?
• Is there a link to more information about the author or organization?
• If no author or organization is noted, are there any other ways to determine the page’s origin? (i.e. a header or footer showing affiliation; info from the URL and domain name)

Why is this important?

• The web is an open medium. Anyone with any level of expertise can publish on the web.
• Authorship and the qualifications of an author can be difficult to determine.

POINT OF VIEW

• Is there a bias or slant to the information presented?
• Is the page designed to sway opinion?
• Is there any advertising on the page? How much? What kind?

Why is this important?

• The goals of the author or organization may not be clearly stated. Advertisement is often masked as content on the web.
• The web can serve as a virtual soapbox – determining fact from opinion can be difficult.