Use these indicators to evaluating website credibility. If you don't find indicators of credibility, assume it is not credible, however, different information needs will require different types of sources. Ask you professor whether sources must be peer reviewed or not.
Note: as a college student you should never have to pay for information; if the library does not have what you need, it can most likely be requested.
Authorship
- look for an "about us", "credits", or "biography" page to find authors and sources
- look for author's contact information and professional affiliations such as a university
- look up authors in WorldCat, Web of Science, or on Amazon to see if they are really an expert
- be sure not to confuse the author with the webmaster
- some websites, including government or organizational sites, will not list individual authors; in that case look at the domain suffix for clues
Domain
- domain ownership can be informative as to possible bias or purpose
- look up a domain's owner at whois.net
- the domain suffix (eg., .com) can be an indicator of a website's purpose
| Suffix |
Type of Website |
Description |
| .com |
commercial entity |
This is the most generic suffix. It is used for advertising, shopping, news, blogs, and much more. This suffix does not indicate (or rule out) credibility.
|
| .edu |
educational institution |
Be aware that institutions do not always endorse the views published by students or faculty. |
| .gov |
government |
Government agencies publish legislation, census information, tax forms, and other credible resources. |
| .org |
non-profit organization |
Non-profits publish to promote their own causes, but in actuality anyone can own a .org domain. |
- note that these are not the only domain suffixes in existence; country-specific suffixes can also be useful (eg,. .ca, .uk)
Purpose
- is the website educational or a public resource provided by a government or reputable organization?
- is the website trying to sell something or promote a viewpoint?
- is the website a hoax or satire?
Currency
- look for updates or revision dates
- avoid undated or un-maintained websites
- be wary of undated information on any website
- avoid websites with dead links
