Evaluating Sources

Evaluate all information carefully. Web sites present additional challenges. Use the evaluation criteria below to determine the quality of information sources.

• Purpose: What is the source trying to do: entertain? persuade? sell? inform?
• Authority: Who is responsible for the information? What do you know about the author or the publisher?
• Accuracy: Is the information correct? true? How does it compare with others?
• Objectivity: Is it inherently biased? Are there other sides to the story?
• Currency: Is the information up-to-date? timely?
• Coverage: How much detail is included? What’s excluded?

Learn more about evaluation:

Critically Analyzing Information Sources [Cornell University]

Critical Evaluation of Resources [UC Berkeley]

Evaluating Information - Applying the CRAAP Test [CSU Chico]

LibrarySmart - You Be the Judge [WA State Library]