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Evaluating Information

Author's intent

• What is the purpose of the document?
• Who is the intended audience?

Research and conclusions

• What criteria were used to select the data/documentation?
• How complete and accurate is the information?
• What is included that is not available in other sources?
• Are all appropriate forms of information included?
• What is the relative value of this document in comparison to other information on the topic?

Sources cited

• Are the references to popular or scholarly and professional sources? How do you know?
• What are the date(s) of the sources cited and the events treated?
   

• What is the authority or expertise of the individual or group that created this source?
• Are the citations to quality sources? How do you know?
• Is any sort of bias evident?
• What is the date of publication?
• Is contact information for the author or producer included in the document?
   

• How is a research article structured? Does the arrangement develop the topic and make information easy to locate?
• How is a popular article structured and how does it differ from research?
• Does the text follow basic rules of grammar, spelling and scholarly composition?
• Do the graphics and art serve a function or are they decorative?
• How easy is it to find the information you need in the document?
   

• Evaluating Information Found on the Internet by Elizabeth E. Kirk of Johns Hopkins University is a great place to start.
• Evaluating Web Resources from Widener University gives checklists for evaluating specific types of Web pages, such advocacy, news, business, informational, personal.
• Purportal.com, whose slogan is "The bunk stops here," alerts you to hoaxes, scams and urban legends transmitted via web and email.
• Evaluating Web Pages: Techniques to Apply & Questions to Ask from UC Berkeley
• Evaluation of Information Resources. A directory of evaluation material from all over the Web.
• How to Critically Analyze Information Sources from Olin-Kroch-Uris Libraries at Cornell University
• Thinking Critically About World Wide Web Resources by Esther Grassian, UCLA College Library
• Thinking Critically About Discipline-Based World Wide Web Resources by Esther Grassian, UCLA College Library
• Bibliography on Evaluating Internet Resources by Nicole J. Auer, University of Vermont.