Some things to consider in evaluating the quality of research sources:
Currency: the timeliness of the information
- How recent is the information?
- Can you locate a date when the page(s) were written/created/updated?
- Based on your topic, is the information current enough?
Relevance: importance of the information
- What kind of information is included in the website?
- Is the content primarily fact, or opinion? Is the information balanced, or biased?
- Does the author provide references for quotations and data?
- If there are links, do they work?
Authority: the source of the information
- Can you determine who the author/creator is? is there a way to contact them?
- What are their credentials (education, qualification, university affiliation, experience, etc.)?
- Who is the publisher or sponsor of the site? Are they reputable?
Accuracy: the reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the information
- Is it accurate? Is it supported by evidence?
- Is the information balanced or biased?
- Was it peer-reviewed?
- Can you verify the information from another reliable source?
- Are there spelling, grammar, or typographical errors?
- Can you determine who the author/creator is? is there a way to contact them?
Purpose: the reason the information exists
- What's the intent of the Web site (to persuade, to sell you something, etc.)?
- What is the domain (.edu, .org, .com, etc.)?
- Are there ads on the website?
- How do they relate to the topic being covered (e.g., an ad for ammunition next to an article about firearms legislation)?
- Is the author presenting fact, or opinion? Who might benefit from a reader believing this website?
- Based on the writing style, who is the intended audience?
