Teaching, Helping, Educating with Pathfinders


Evaluating Resources

 Print Resources  ¦  Web Resources/Websites

Evaluating Print Resources

  1. How do I decide what’s important?

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Is it something others will want to know?

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Does it fit the scope of the topic?

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Is the information at the right level and type?

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Is the information too simplistic or too complicated for the intended reader?

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Is it hard to read—fine print?

  1. What information can you find on the resource?

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Is the publisher a reliable source?
Example: Newsweek vs. National Enquirer

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Does the source clearly state the author or source of information?

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Is the author an authority on the topic?

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Does the source clearly state when the information was written?

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Is the data accurate and complete?

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Is there a bias?

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Is the source easy to use?

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Does it have an index?

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Are the pages numbered?

  1. Look for indicators of quality information

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Is there a copyright at the bottom of the article?

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Are sources documented with footnotes or citations?

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Are the citations to other sources reliable?

  1. What do others say about the resource?

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Are there reviews written about this resource?

 

Evaluating Web Resources

Some of the questions you might ask to investigate the content of the page and what others say about the page:

  1. What does the URL or web address tell you about the site?

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Personal pages usually have a tilde (~) in the address followed by a personal name
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The server is a commercial internet service provider.

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Is the domain appropriate for the content?
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Government sites end with .gov, .mil, .us, or another country code

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Education sites end with .edu

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Nonprofit organization sites end with .org

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What kind of information source is most reliable for your topic?

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Is the website published by someone who is an authority on the topic?

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Is the domain name a logical publisher of the site?

  1. What information can you find on the page?

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Who wrote the page?

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Look for an ‘About Us" link
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Why did the person create the website?

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What are the author’s credentials?

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Is the author an expert or a hobbyist?

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An email address is not enough

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Is the page dated? How current is it?

  1. Look for indicators of quality information

    1. Look for ‘links’ or ‘related links’ on the page

    2. Is there a copyright at the bottom of the article?

    3. Are sources documented with footnotes or links?

    4. Are links to other sources reliable?

    5. Do the links work?

4. What do others say about the web page?

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Are there links from other websites to this page?

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To do a link check:
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In Google search box type link: URL address and press Enter to start the search.

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The pages listed on the search results all contain one or more links back to the page you are evaluating.

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What kind of sites link to it?

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Is the page listed in a reputable directory that evaluates its contents?
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Librarians’ Index to the Internet, AcademicInfo, About.com or a specialized directory

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What does the directory say about the web page?

Answering these questions about the web page will help you determine the reliability of the site on your topic.

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Funded in part by Library Services and Technology Act money administered through the State Library of Iowa
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