Library

There is much good information on the Internet, but there is also a great deal of misinformation, scams, shoddy fact-checking, propaganda, opinion masquerading as fact, and sales pitches passing as research. Since it is hard to assess accuracy and other factors, here are seven aspects to consider when assessing Internet information:

• Accuracy
  • Responsibility
  • Authority
  • Documentation
  • Updates
• Other Factors
  • Design
  • Fees
  • Security & Privacy

Accuracy

Accuracy is difficult for a non-expert to evaluate. The four factors below can help you assess accuracy. If you have doubts after looking at these four factors, show the information to someone knowledgeable in the subject matter, such as a professor.

.....Responsibility

Who runs the Web site? Who posts the material? Who is responsible for keeping it up to date?

There is often no specific person named, but there should at least be a clearly identified organization, with a mailing address and the email address of a webmaster or a contact person. If you email this person, do you get a response in a reasonable amount of time?

Who sponsors the site or pays for maintenance? The source of funding should be clear. Is the site sponsored by a commercial interest? Does the organization have a political agenda? Are the sponsors selling something? What are the motives behind the information? Is there any reason the authors might distort facts?

Look for an ABOUT link, usually near the top right or the bottom center of the page.

Other clues to responsibility include the elements of the URL (Uniform Resource Locator).

.....Authority

If the site gives legal or medical information, the credentials of the authors or reviewers should be given. Can you contact these people if you have questions or want additional information?

If the authors of the site are professors, are they listed in the directory of their academic institution? Is their college or university accredited? Are they qualified in the subject matter of the Web site? (For instance, how much authority does a chemistry professor have to give legal advice?)

Opinion or speculation should be clearly differentiated from research-based facts.

.....Documentation

Who wrote the material on the Web site? If the site is reprinting or quoting material written by someone else, the source should be clearly cited.

If the site alludes to research or statistics, the sources should also be clearly cited.

.....Updates

Does the site include a date when it was last updated? Even if the information is not likely to change often, a good Web site will be reviewed for accuracy from time to time.

Other Factors

Below are three other factors that have less to do with accuracy and more to do with the value of using the Web site:

.....Design

Do the design elements of the Web site distract you or try to sell you something? Do they give you important information? For instance, a series of digital photographs could be very helpful on a medical Web site, if accompanied by text.

Don't be distracted by attractive graphics, eye-catching design, audio clips, and other "bells and whistles." A very plain site may be quite valuable. On the other hand, a sloppily-designed site does not inspire confidence.

.....Fees

Many reputable Web sites offer information free of charge. Examples include

• EDGAR
• Educator's Reference Desk
• GPO Access
• Internet Public Library
• LANIC
• MedlinePlus
• Thomas

There are many sites that charge money for information. Some of these offer accurate information for a good price; others just repackage information available elsewhere for free or offer dubious information in the interests of profit.

Do a little research before paying fees for information. Search the Web to see what else is available. Ask a professor in that subject area or ask a librarian.

.....Security & Privacy

Web sites often collect information about their visitors. Sometimes they do this by tracking you as you click through the site; other times by asking you to fill out online forms. These sites should have a clearly stated Privacy Policy, often posted under ABOUT or LEGAL NOTICE.

Before filling out online forms or sending personal information via email, be sure to find and read the site's policies on privacy and security. How will the information be used? How will it be protected? Who will have access to it? How long will it be stored?

Understanding URLs

URLs are Uniform Resource Locators, those addresses you use to find a specific Web site. This is their structure:

• protocol://domain/path/filename

For instance, in the Library's URL, http://www.neumann.edu/academics/library.asp:

• protocol = http
• domain = www.neumann.edu
  • top level domain = .edu
• path = academics
• filename = library.asp

Common top level domains:

• .ca   Canadian agency, organization, company, or person
• .com    commercial organization, usually selling something
• .edu   U.S. educational institution
• .gov    U.S.government agencies
• .mil   U.S. military
• .net   network provider
• .org   organization, generally non-profit
• .uk   U.K. (United Kingdom) agency, organization, company, or person
• .us   U.S. organization, company, or person--often a state or local government or a school

A .edu site with /personal/ or ~ (tilde) in the URL is the personal Web site of a college or university employee--not information officially sponsored by the institution.

A .com or a ~ (tilde) in the URL does not mean that the information is bad anymore than a .gov or .org means that it's good. But noticing these things gives you another way to assess the motives behind the information.

Sources & Recommended Reading

This checklist was based on the following Web sites:

• Evaluating Web Resources
  From Jan Alexander and Marsha Ann Tate of Widener University.
• Guidelines for Resource Evaluation
  From the Gateway to Educational Materials.
• How to Evaluate Health Information on the Internet
  From the National Cancer Institute.
• Information Privacy & Security
  From the Federal Trade Commission.

.....Sample Web Sites for Evaluation (Note: These Web sites are instructional examples and are not endorsed by Neumann College.)

• Martin Luther King Jr.: A True Historical Examination
  Responsibility: Who runs this site? (This information can often be found at the bottom of the Web page.) What are the biases of this organization?
• OncoLink
  Responsibility: Who runs this site?
  Authority: What credentials do members of the editorial board have? (Look for About OncoLink, then Editorial Board.)
  Documentation: Are journal citations included to support the claims made on this Web site?
• Weight Loss Guide
  Authority: What credentials does the person featured on this Web site have?
  Documentation: Are journal citations included to support the claims made on this Web site?
• Writing Activities: A Primer for Outdoor Educators
  Fees: How much does it cost to obtain a full-text copy of this digest? Is the Department of Education charging for information available full-text for free elsewhere? (Check the ERIC Processing & Reference Facility.)