Evaluating Sources

Always evaluate websites for information quality and reliability because anyone with a bit of knowledge about computers and the internet can put information on the World Wide Web.

Academic research is different from personal research because academic research requires current, correct, and well-documented information written by institutions/people who are authorities on their subjects.

Please use this checklist from MLA to determine whether a source is likely to provide credible, trustworthy information.

Here are 5 criteria that can serve as a guide to evaluating the information on the Web (From the American Library Association).

The following guidelines are important to consider when evaluating websites to use for academic research.

Authority:

Is it clear who is responsible for the web page?
Is there a way of verifying the page’s sponsor? (An email address is not enough).
Is it clear who wrote the material? Are their credentials clearly stated?
If the material is copyrighted, is the name of the copyright holder given?

Accuracy:

Are the sources for any factual information clearly cited for verification?
Is the information clear of blatant grammatical, spelling, and/or other typographical errors?
If there are graphs or charts are they clearly labelled? Is source information given?

Objectivity:

What is the purpose of providing the information? (Public service, profit, or persuasion)
Is the information free of advertising?
If there is advertising, is it clearly differentiated from the informational content?

Currency:

Are there dates on the page indicating when it was written? When was it last revised?
Are there indications that the material is kept current?

Coverage:

Is there any indication that the page is complete and not still under construction?
If there is a print equivalent, does the page state if the entire work is on the web or only parts of it?

(These criteria are based on the checklist in the book Web Wisdom: How to Evaluate and Create Information Quality on the Web by Jan Alexander and Marsha Ann Tate)

Watch the videos below to help you to evaluate web pages.

Work Cited

MLA Handbook. 9th ed., Modern Language Association of America, 2021.

"Works Cited: A Quick Guide.” MLA Style Center, style.mla.org/works-cited/works-cited-a-quick-guide/.