UW Colleges Critical Evaluation of Internet Resources

Friends don’t let friends use Google, at least not as their first stop while doing college-level research. Unlike library-provided databases, there is no quality control on the Internet. To help you critically evaluate the sources you find on the Internet, here are some guidelines to consider.

Criteria for Evaluating Internet Sites

Reliability: Who is the author of the Web page? –Are the author’s credentials listed? Is the author affiliated with a reputable institution? No author found? Probably not reliable –Read *About Us, FAQ, History, etc.* links.	Currency of material: •When was the site last updated? –Current enough for type of information needed? –Don’t use undated statistics and facts. Fee vs. Free on the Internet: –Fee Paid Subscriptions to research tools The Good Stuff Best for academic research Free Some useful, others useless Critically evaluate sites
Tone/Bias of material: Why was it created? To inform (multiple viewpoints and references presented) To persuade (to advocate a particular viewpoint) To entertain To sell you something To mislead · Look at such links as About Us, FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), Mission/Purpose
Accuracy of information: –Are sources of facts listed? –Can you verify information with other source(s)? •For more information: http://sheboygan.uwc.edu/library/internetevaluate.shtm
Let the Internet Surfer Beware •No quality control on the net If something doesn't seem accurate, it probably isn't "...If I, an expert in Old Norse-Icelandic mythology, were to devise and print on the Internet plans for a supersonic jet, would you build and fly it?" Lindow, John. Handbook of Norse Mythology. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, 2001. 340.

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Resources for More Information

Five Highly Effective First Year Library Assignments

Library Liaisons

Evaluating Internet Resources

For books on this topic, please search the UW Colleges Library Catalog at: http://uwcolleges.uwsp.edu/. A search on the keywords "Internet" AND "evaluation" (in subject keyword) will bring up relevant titles. Print resources may be borrowed from UW Colleges' libraries by UWC faculty, staff, and students by pressing the Place Requests button at the top of the online catalog page.

Berkman, Robert. The Skeptical Business Searcher: The Information Advisor’s Guide to Evaluating Web Data, Sites, and Sources. Medford, New Jersey : Information Today, Inc., 2004.
Diaz, Karen R. IssueWeb: A Guide and Sourcebook for Researching Controversial Issues on the Web. Westport, Conn. : Libraries Unlimited, c2004.
Cornell University. Five Criteria for Evaluating Web Pages.
Ferguson, Janet and Anita White-Carter. Web Searching and Evaluation.
Ithaca College Library. ICYouSee: T is for Thinking: A Guide to Critical Thinking for What you See on the Web.
Mintz, Anne P., Editor. Web of Deception : Misinformation on the Internet. Medford, New Jersey: CyberAge Books, c2002.
Schlein, Alan M. ; Edited by Peter Weber and J.J. Newby. Find It Online : The Complete Guide to Online Research. 4th ed. Tempe, Ariz. : Facts on Demand Press, c2004.
UC Berkeley. Evaluating Web Pages: Techniques to Apply and Questions to Ask.
UW System/WiLS. Research Tutorial: Evaluating Information.
UW-Washington County. Checklist for Evaluating Websites.

Teaching Students How to Evaluate Internet Resources Critically

Print resources may be borrowed from UW Colleges' libraries by UWC faculty, staff, and students by pressing the Place Requests button at the top of the online catalog page.

Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL). Information Literacy Competency Standards.
Beck, Susan E. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, or Why It's a Good Idea to Evaluate Web Sources.
Beck, Susan E. Lessons Learned: Exemplary Practices in Teaching Web Evaluation.
Burkhardt, Joanna M., Mary C. MacDonald, Andree J. Rathemacher. Teaching Information Literacy : 35 Practical, Standards-Based Exercises for College Students. Chicago, Illinois : American Library Association, 2003.
First Year Initiative: Integrating Information Literacy Skills in to the Curriculum
Hernon, Peter and Robert E. Dugan. Outcomes Assessment in Higher Education: Views and Perspectives. Westport, Connecticut : Libraries Unlimited, 2004.
Jacobson, Trudi E. Who Teaches What: Information Literacy in the Classroom. PowerPoint presentation.
University of Texas System Digital Library. TILT: Texas Information Literacy Tutorial.
Wisconsin Association of Academic Librarians (WAAL). Information Literacy Competencies and Criteria for Academic Libraries in Wisconsin.

Writing and Citing Internet Resources

Last updated March 21, 2007. Comments to Mary Rieder.
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