Always thoroughly evaluate any websites used and the information found there. First, look at the extension type:
| Most Reliable |
.gov: US government; also many US state, county and city governments |
|
Fairly Reliable. But be cautious. |
.edu: Must belong to an education institution. Some .edu sites will provide access to quality research information. However, they may also provide things like student blogs. Sites may appear live but belong to defunct schools. |
|
Could be good. Could be bad. |
All of these are commercial websites. That doesn't necessarily mean they are bad…or good. Do a thorough evaluation before using information from these sites: .com, .net, .biz, .tv, .co, .info, .games, .mobi .xxx (DO NOT EVER, ever, ever use a .xxx site in a paper. Never. Ever.) |
Apply all evaluation criteria from the "All Resources" tab, as well as the following website-specific CRAP criteria:
Currency: Look carefully at the site to see when it was last updated. Avoid sites that don't have this information available. Also look for outdated website trends (funky colors, black or patterned backgrounds, etc.) and other features that aren't typically found on well-maintained websites.
Reliability: Look for citations, or some attribution for the information found on the site. If the organization sponsors research itself, like the American Cancer Society (cancer.org), find out what other credible researchers are saying about that research. Examine links to other sites and determine if those appear to be credible sites.
Authorship: Look for an "about us" page and contact information. Try to find out what the author/organization does and their purpose or mission. Look up the author/organization to see what kind of expertise they have in the field and if other people in the field consider the author/organization credible. Be very skeptical of any site if you can't determine who authors it, and/or if you can't find contact information or the purpose/mission.
Purpose: Be extremely skeptical if the website exists for purposes other to inform. Look for indicators that the site exists to sell products or inflame emotions, or recruit people for purposes other than fundraising for a reputable charitable organization.
Look at the imagery of the site. Extensive use of red/white/blue, American flags, etc. may indicate a site with a political agenda. Images and/or words that provoke a strong emotional response (crying children, emaciated animals, burning flags, etc.), may indicate that the information found here will not be objective, impartial, or neutral.
The Lateral Reading evaluation strategy is especially helpful when evaluating websites. See here for more information.
Often stories and images with words circulated on social media are outdated, very heavily biased, blatantly false, or refer to an issue, problem, or situation that has been resolved or no longer exists. It is very important to fact check any story or image before accepting it as current or true. See the social media tab for more information.
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