For fun, games, and pretty pictures, the Web is fine. But is the Web a good research tool? As with any other sources, the answer is A QUALIFIED YES, and ONLY IF YOU ARE CAREFUL.

1. Ask yourself why you are using the Web. Don’t use the Web because it is fun and easy; use it when it is the appropriate source for the information you are seeking. Keep in mind that not everything is on the web due to copyright, cost, and demand issues. For example, most materials written before the 1980s have not migrated to the Web, aren’t likely to any time soon.

2. What is the relative value of the Web site in comparison to the range of information resources available on this topic? This means you must look at the library sources as well.

a. What other resources (print & non-print) are available in this area? What do the links offer that is not easily available in other sources?

b. Is this document available elsewhere (i.e. previously published, then migrated to the Web?) Once you figure out where the document come from, you should evaluate the document according to the standard appropriate to the type of document. (ex. On-line full-text journals)

c. How comprehensive is this site?

i. Are the links relevant and appropriate for the site?

ii. Does the site refer to print and other non-internet resources or just internet resources? What does this tell me about the credibility of the site?

3. What is the purpose of the Web Page and how does this shape what I’m reading?

4. Are sufficient references provided to other works, to document hypotheses, claims or assertions? Are references cited fully?

5. Are the links evaluated in any way?

6. Is any sort of bias evident?

a. Often, common domain name suffixes can help you identify who the author is. Generally speaking, .com means commercial site; .org means a non-profit organization of some kind; .gov means a branch of the US government; .edu refers to an educational institution. Two letter geographic code is also useful to identify the authorship: For example, .jp means Japan, .no refers to Norway, and .sz means Swaziland.

2. Does the site claim to represent a group, an organization, an institution, a corporation or a governmental body? How does this shape what I’m reading?

3. What is the authority or expertise of the individual or group that created this site?

a. How knowledgeable is the individual or group on the subject matter of the site?

b. Is the site sponsored or co-sponsored by an individual or group that has created other Web sites? What do those sites tell me about the author of this page?

4. Can the researchers, scholars, groups, organizations, institutions, corporations, or governmental bodies listed as authors, sponsors or supporters, be verified as such, and what are their qualifications?

5. Is any sort of third-party financial or other support or sponsorship evident? Does this color or alter the information I’m reading?

6. Is advertising included at the site, and if so, has it had an impact on the content?

7. When was the Web item produced? When was the Web item last revised? Is the information current?

8. How well does the author maintain the Web site? How up-to-date are the links?

9. How reliable are the links; are there blind links, or references to sites which have moved? (Faulty links can indicate that a site is neglected.)

10. Is contact information for the author or producer included in the document? Are they willing to take responsibility for their pages?

1. Do the graphics and art serve a function or are they just decorative?

2. Does the text follow basic rules of grammar, spelling and literary composition?

3. Is there an element of creativity, and does it add to or detract from the document itself?

4. How usable is the site? Can visitors get the information they need within a reasonable number of links (preferably 3 or fewer clicks)?

Thanks to the web page of the UCLA College Library, and the Ithaca College Library for information used in this handout. For further information, see http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college/instruct/web/critical.htm, and http://www.ithaca.edu/library/Training/hott.html

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