Tools of the Trade:
Finding a Reputable World Wide Web Site

Don't rely on the WWW to be your main resource in researching a topic. Focus your research efforts in high quality, academic level books and journals first. Once you have a standard of quality, you are better prepared to evaluate any source of information, the WWW included.

Find two (2) WWW pages about______________________________________
Print the first page and fill out the WWW Evaluation Checklist for each WWW site.

WWW EVALUATION CHECKLIST

Write the url for the site here:

AUTHOR
1. Who is the author of the document?   
2. Is the author the original creator of the information?
  Yes                                       No                                      Can't tell

3. Does he or she list his or her occupation, years of experience, position, or education? If so, list here:
 Yes                                       No                                      Not applicable

4. With this information or lack of it, do you feel this person is qualified to write on the topic?
 Yes                                       No                                     If yes, why?

HOME PAGE
5. Who (company, school, business, agency) supports this information?

6. Is it national or international? Yes                                       No   

7. Does the information appearing under its name appear to be filtered?
                                                    Yes                                       No   

8. Does the author's affiliation appear to bias the information?
Yes                                       No                                      Not applicable

DOCUMENT INFORMATION
9. When was the information created or last updated?

10. What appears to be the purpose for this information? (explain)
Marketing/Sales                                      Inform                              Persuade     Entertain

11. Is a way to contact the company provided?
Yes                                       No        

CONCLUSION
12. Given all the information you determined from above, is this document appropriate for your topic?

Yes     Explain why, including any reservations you might have.

No      Explain why not

Parts of this checklist were adapted from Judith Pask, Roberta Kramer, and Scott Mandernack, The Savvy Student's Guide to Library Research. West Lafayette, Ind.: John W. Hicks Undergraduate Library, 1993.