Webpage Evaluation Guide
Mrs. Madison
Authors
What makes the author an authority on the topic?
Accuracy
Are facts documented?
Appearance
Are the links valid websites?
Is there advertising? If so, what type of advertising is it?
Does the page look like it was developed by a professional? If it looks like a child put it together, chances are good a child put it together.
What is the extension for the website?
.edu -- usually very reliable (school or educational websites)
.gov -- usually a U.S. government sponsored website with reliable information
.org -- usually an organization - these sites are often promoting a position
.net -- a network used by various educational or business organizations
.com -- commercial websites
Objectivity
What is the purpose of the site?
Relevance
When was the site last updated?
Does the site offer detailed information on the topic you are researching?
Is the information scholarly or superficial?
Check out this pdf from Easybib.com.
Use the TRUST test.
Responsible: Did the website creator cite any sources for the information presented on the site? Is there a chance the creator could be showing bias in the information you find on the website? If so, you need to note this if you choose to use this source.
Useful: Sites used for class projects and papers should have been created for educational, not commercial, purposes.
Stable: Wikis and blogs are not reliable educational sources. An Important note about Wikipedia: Wikipedia allows anonymous editing; contributors are not required to provide any identification, or even an email address. Because Wikipedia cannot be considered a reliable source, the use of Wikipedia is not accepted in many schools and universities in writing a formal paper, and some educational institutions have banned it as a primary source while others have limited its use to only a pointer to external sources.
Timely: Websites can become out of date, so be sure to note when a site was last updated.