ABCD’s of Website Evaluation

ABCD’s

Consider using this site if:

Consider not using this site if:

URL of  site is:

• .gov (government)
• .edu (college or university)
• .org (non-profit organization)

• .com (business)
• .k12 (school)
• geocities, yahoo, ~name,  etc. (personal)

A

Authorship

Who created this site?

• Author seems to be an expert in the field or subject
• Organization is governmental or non-profit and is a respected organization in this field
• Contact information is provided

• It is not clear that the author is an expert
• Organization has commercial interest in this subject
• Contact information is not provided

B

Bias/personal opinion

What is the purpose of this site?

• Information is fair and balanced
• Purpose is academic

• Information is not fair and balanced.
• Purpose it to sell something

C

Content

How accurate or trustworthy is this page?

Is it at my reading level?

• Professionally presented/carefully edited.
• This page or site has a works cited list or bibliography
• Information is consistent with other sources
• I can read this site with understanding

• Editing needed. Mistakes in spelling or grammar throughout this site
• This page or site has no works cited list or bibliography
• Information is not consistent with other sources
• This site is too difficult for me to read with understanding

D

Date

When was this page created or updated?

• This is a continuously updated page or site
• Links to information work

• This site was last updated more than a year ago
• Links to other information are broken

Evaluation complete 

_______Total number of checkmarks in this column.

• I am comfortable that the information on this site is reliable

_______Total number of checkmarks in this column.

• I probably should not use this site for academic work