• Choose two health resource/education websites that you might recommend to patients

Evaluating Websites: Checklist

How can you know if information found on the web is appropriate for your research?

Use the checklist below to help you evaluate your source.

C u

rr e

n cy

Was the information published recently? Has the content on the west site been revised or updated recently? Is the information up-to date? Are links or references to other sources up to date?

Yes __ __ __ __

No __ __ __ __

A u

th o

ri ty

Is the author identified? Is the author affiliated with an educational institution or prominent organization? Is the author an expert in this field? Do other books or articles cite the author? Does the author cite his or her sources?

Yes __ __ __ __ __

No __ __ __ __ __

A cc

u ra

cy

Is the website free of spelling and other obvious errors? Does it generally agree with other sources for similar information? Is documentation or evidence provided for the author’s argument? Does the page cite well known sources or authorities? Is there a description of the research methods used to obtain data? Do links on the site function and lead to other sites of good quality?

Yes __ __ __ __ __ __

No __ __ __ __ __ __

R e

le v

a n

ce

Does the information add to or support your research question? Does the information meet the stated requirements of the assignment? Does the article provide references that are also useful? Does the source add something new to your knowledge of your topic?

Yes __ __ __ __

No __ __ __ __

P u

rp o

se

Does the website present information in an objective manner? Are all sides of an issue represented? If not, can you determine the site’s bias? Based on your knowledge, is the information presented factual rather than opinion?

Yes __ __ __ __

No __ __ __ __

Look closely at items appearing in the “No” column. Does this item on the checklist weaken your

source? Why or why not?

Adapted from University of North Carolina University Library 6/28/2013