The Five W's of Website Evaluation
The following criteria are appropriate for evaluating information of any kind. Evaluation is especially important when dealing with information found online. Review the following criteria and answer the questions based on the web page you are evaluating.
Who – Who is the author?
- Is the author's name easily visible?
- Do you know who published the source? Is the source produced by a reputable organization?
- Is the author qualified to write on the topic?
- Is a biography of the author included?
- Is there an "About Us" page?
- How can I find out more about the author?
What – What is the purpose of the information?
- Is it to inform, teach, sell, entertain or persuade?
- Do the authors/sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear?
- Is the information fact, opinion, or propaganda?
- Does the point of view appear objective and impartial?
- Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional or personal biases?
- Is the source free of advertising?
- Does the URL reveal anything about the purpose? Examples:
- .com - commercial site
- .edu - school or university site
- .gov - government website
- .org - for-profit or non-profit organization site
Note: Domains such as .ca (Canada) or .au (Australia) are country-specific domain names.
When – When was the site created or last updated?
- Does your topic require current information, or will older sources work as well?
- Do you know when the information was originally published and is the date acceptable?
- Do you know when the information was last updated and is the date acceptable?
- Are links current and functional? Do charts and graphs have dates?
Where – Where does the information come from?
- Where can I look to find out more about the sponsor of the site?
- Is the information supported by evidence?
- Can you verify any of the information in another source or from personal knowledge?
- Has the information been reviewed or refereed?
- Are there spelling, grammar or typographical errors?
- Are sources and references cited?
Why – Why is this information useful for my purpose?
- Why should I use this information?
- Why is this page better than another resource, such as a book or scholarly article?
- Have you looked at a variety of sources before determining this is one you will use?
- Who is the intended audience?
- Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e. not too elementary or advanced for your needs)?
- Would you be comfortable citing this source in your research paper?
