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Websites are great sources of information but they are not peer-reviewed. Since anyone can publish on the web you need to evaluate the information you find to be sure that it is accurate and reliable.

Ask yourself the questions on this page frequently.

• Is the site designed clearly and logically with well organized subsections?
• Is the writing style appropriate for the intended audience?
• Does it look professional?
• Are the graphics helpful?
  

Evaluating Web Pages: Techniques to Apply & Questions to Ask (UC Berkeley)

Evaluating Internet Sources

• Who is the author/producer of the document?
• Are the author's credentials and contact information given; is he/she an expert?
  
• Is the sponsor of the site appropriate and authoritative? (Domain extensions are clues: .edu for educational institutions, .org for nonprofits, .gov for government sites, etc.)
• Is it someone's personal page? (the url contains a person's name)
  

Accuracy:

• Is there a way to verify the information?
• Can you detect political, ideological, or religious bias?
• Is the purpose of the site to market a product? Is there advertising on the page?Curren

Currency:

• Is there a date for when the information was written?
• Is there a date for when the information was last revised?
• Do the links still work? If not, it may be an indication that the information has not been updated recently.

Who is the intended audience?

• Beginners or experts?
• Adults or children?
  
• Professionals?
• Scholars?

Does the information cover the field well?

• Is the information too simple?
  
• Is the information too technical or complicated?
  
• Are there links to similar pages that will provide more information?
• Are the links relevant, or are they just a collection of other sites?