EVALUATING INTERNET SOURCES

Information which appears in print form has usually been subjected to careful editing based on long established journalistic standards. Publishers are usually diligent in checking the facts in articles which they publish. The editors of scholarly journals are most judicious in selecting and editing research articles.

Information found on the Internet needs intensive scrutiny before being accepted. Responsible online publishers and writers maintain the same standards as those for print media, but others do not. With very little expense, anyone can become an electronic publisher, set up a home page, write articles for Usenet or Listserv discussion groups, send e-mail, and enter chat rooms. In many cases, it is impossible to determine exactly who the writer is or whom he or she represents. As you obtain information, use the Internet Source Evaluation Checklist below to screen material.

INTERNET SOURCE EVALUATION CHECKLIST

Site Is the site an edu, org, or mail site which are most reliable and maintained by colleges and

universities, professional organizations, the military, and governmental agencies? Be cautious of com, or commercial sites. They usually are heavily weighted with advertising. They may contain information for which

payment has been made for publication. Check Listservs carefully and be wary of Usenet

discussion groups and chat rooms. E-mail should be carefully evaluated and accepted

only if it is a personal communication from a known expert who can be verified.

Author Is the author well-known, expert qualified? Is there an association with an established,

recognized institution?

Publisher Is the publisher an establishment such as a university, professional organization,

government agency, or well-known publisher? Be careful of publishers who exist only on the Web. Check

these carefully.

Find out who they are and their qualifications to publish on the subject

Links Do hypertext links take you to educational or other solid sites which can lead to further

reliable research and not to commercial sites?

References Are quality sources cited which you can locate and check?

Currency is information current with recent publication date? Internet documents are frequently

updated.

Point of view Are facts rather than opinion presented? Much on the Internet is highly opinionated

without grounding in facts. Is author's point of view clear and supported by facts? Is

purpose to persuade, explain, or inform?

Audience Is information intended for mature, serious readers? Reject material which is frivolous or

chatty.

This information is taken from the following source:

Baron, Alvin. Bud's Easy Research Paper Computer Manual for IBC PCs. 2nd ed. New York: Lawrence House Publishers, 1998.

This book contains other valuable information such as: 0 Ten steps for researching and writing papers e Internet research with search engines, meta-search engines, boolean logic, more 0 1998 MLA and APA online citation samples