The Internet Is Not Edited

Published materials use editors, experts, peers and the industry to establish:

• Authorship
• Validity
• Timeliness
• Integrity

Internet documents are usually self-published. You cannot assume that:

• Editors, experts or peers were consulted
• Authorship is guaranteed - author credentials may or may not be verified or established
• Content or results conform to research standards or are supported/endorsed by the research community

In the absence of editors, experts, peers and the oversight of the publishing industry ...

Skillful evaluation of web pages requires you do two things at once:

1. Train your eyes and fingers to use techniques that quickly locate information you need to know
2. Train your mind to think critically, even skeptically, by asking questions that will help you decide if a page is to be trusted

Each section below combines the two tasks above and forms the process of evaluating web pages.

Techniques

Using document URLs and descriptions can:

• Save you time
• Point you the most reliable and authentic pages

Questions to Ask

1. Is this someone's personal page?

• Scan the URL for a personal name (e.g. jbarker or barker) or the words "users", "members" or "people"
• Consider the Internet Service Provide (ISP) or host. AOL, Geocities and myspace host predominately personal pages.

• Personal pages are not necessarily bad
• No publisher or domain owner is vouching for the author's credentials or the content
• You need to establish the author's credentials

2. What type of domain is used?

• Educational (.edu)
• Nonprofit (.org)
• Commercial (.com)
• Government (.gov, .mil, .us, or other country code)

• Look for appropriateness and fit of content
• Select a resource with the domain that is most reliable for your topic
• If you're researching drinking habits of college students, a web page offering statistics with a .gov domain is a good bet

      Commercial vs. Nonprofit

• .com or .org is selected by the person/organization registering a domain name
• No governmental or organizational body determines or verifies that a .com is commercial in nature or a .org is not for profit
• Any person or organization can be a .com or .org (some register both types)
• Educational and government domains (.edu and .gov) are more controlled

3. Does the publisher (ISP and/or domain) make sense?

• The publisher is the agency or person operating the server on which the web page is issued
• Server names appear between the http:// and the first forward slash (/)

• Some publishers/hosts are more reliable than others
• Do you recognize the publisher/host?
• Consider if the publisher/host and site name should match
• For example, if you have the option of viewing an article published in the New York Times from the NY Times site (www.nytimes.com) or another site, choose the NY Times site
• For health information, agencies like the National Institute of Health (NIH) are a good source

Techniques

• Look for links that include About Us, Philosophy, Background, Biography, Who Am I, etc.
• Look for a last updated date, usually at the bottom a the page
• Do not rely on dates in IE's File Properties or Netscape/Firefox's View Page Info displays. These dates can be automatically kept current

Questions to Ask

1. Who wrote the page?

• Look for the name of the author, organization, institution, agency
• Email addresses only imply authorship; dig deeper

• You want a person or organization to claim accountability and responsibility for the content
• Email addresses with no supporting information do not establish credentials. (You can email the person/organization at the address and request more information.)

2. Is the page dated? Is the date current enough?

• You don't want stale or dusty information on a time sensitive or evolving topic
• Caution: undated factual or statistical information is no better than anonymous information. Don't use it.

• Your topic determines how recent a date you require
• The date can indicate whether the page author is still maintaining an interest in the page or if the page is abandoned

3. What are the author's credentials on the subject?

• The purported background and education of the author should qualify them to write on the topic
• Consider if the author is a hobbyist, self-proclaimed expert, or enthusiast
• Consider if the page is predominately opinion, rant or an extreme view 
• If you cannot find strong, relevant credentials, look very closely at documentation of sources (next section)

• Anyone can put anything on the web for pennies in just a few minutes. Your task is to distinguish between the reliable and questionable.
• Many web pages are opinion pieces offered in a vast public forum
• Hold the author to the same degree of credentials, authority, and documentation that you would expect from something published in a reputable print resource (book, journal article, good newspaper)

Techniques

• Explore footnotes, citations, and supporting documentation
• Look for links to Additional Sites, Related Links, etc.

Questions to Ask

1. Are sources documented with footnotes or links?

• Expect a journal or newspaper article to come from the original publisher if that publication is available on the web
• A journal or newspaper article is probably authentic if full publication, copyright, and reproduction permissions are available
• In scholarly work, the credibility of the content is proven through citations (footnotes, bibliography, works cited, etc.)
• Consider the level of credibility your research requires
• Science requires extensive citing of previous research
• Journalism from highly reputable news sources can be the exception to extensive citing

2. Is reproduced information (from another source) complete, unaltered and not faked or forged?

• Retyped text is easily forged
• Note whether the original author granted permission to reproduce or reprint content
• Note whether copyright information is provided
• Consider why the author reproduced content rather than using a link

• Try to find the source! Google the author, title or journal title.
• You may need to find a copy of the original document to verify the reproduced content is complete and accurate
• Legitimate articles from reputable sources are usually accompanied by a copyright statement and/or permission to reprint. Be suspicious of articles lacking both of these.

3. Are there links to other resources on the topic?

• Look for well organized links to credible, related pages
• Check that the links work

• Pointing you to other pages on the same topic invites you to compare their information to others
• A long list of links to weak or fringe pages does not compensate for credibility
• Remember bias -- including links to opposing viewpoints displays balance

Techniques

• Find out who links to the page
• Lookup the page in a directory that evaluates content
• Google the author's name

Questions to Ask

1. Who links to this page?

• Do a Traffic Rankings search at alexa.com to learn traffic details, sites linking in and out, etc.
• Do a link search at Google. Type link:[full url of site or page] in search box (e.g. link:http://www.utica.edu)

• Page is linked only to other pages on its site - not much of a recommendation
• Page is linked by fans and detractors - read both points of view
• Page is a bone fide directory, consider whether critical evaluations are provided

2. Is the page listed in one or more reputable directories?

• Go to a list of Recommended Subject Directories

• Good directories include a fraction of the web making inclusion noteworthy
• Good directories include good and bad reviews so pay attention

3. What do others say about the author or organization?

• To Google a person or organization, just type the name or organization name in the search box

• Googling someone can be revealing. Especially if you find nothing of note.
• Consider the source - if your topic or author inspires controversy expect to find supporters and detractors

Techniques

• Consider everything you've learned about the page
• Listen to your gut - instinct is a good guide
• Ask yourself if the web is the best place to find sources for your research
• Doubts? Ask your instructor or a UC Librarian what they think of a web page.

Questions to Ask

1. Why was the page put on the web?

• Inform, provide facts or data
• Explain or persuade
• Sell or entice
• Share
• Disclose

• The web is a public space open to all, consider the possible intentions behind the content

2. Is your page ironic? Satire or parody?

• Consider the "tone" of the page
• Look for self-conscious humor, parody, exaggeration or overblown arguments
• Look for outrageous photographs or juxtaposition of unlikely images
• Use of viewpoints that suggest the argument proposed is not ultimately possible

• Being fooled is easier than you think
• Who got fooled?  A student who cited an "article" from The Onion (http://www.theonion.com/) ...

3. Is this page the best resource I'd find if I used the UC Library and its online and print resources?

• Consider your assignment's instructions about what sources of information are acceptable
• Your instructor may define scholarly, academic, peer reviewed sources be used
• Great, reliable information is available on the Web if you how to look.

The Internet and UC Library's Online Resources

The Internet offers:

• Public, freely available content
• Mostly self-published and largely non-academic, although there are always exceptions

Search Google Scholar 

UC Library's Online Resources are:

• Subscription-based and offered to current UC students, faculty and staff
• Available on or off campus, 24-hours a day
• Offer access to published, academic sources
• Specialized tools: databases (indexes), full text journal collections and, sometimes, links to free web pages that are appropriate for subject-specialized study
• Selected by UC Librarians and Faculty to meet your research needs

Use UC Library's Online Resources tool to find databases and other online resources