Checkology Evaluating Sources Online

What is a warning sign that a website might NOT have trustworthy information? 

• the author is an expert
• the information comes from a well-known newspaper
• It is not clear who the author is
• the information is current

Which of the following is NOT an important part of evaluating a website?

• expert author

• current information

• how many people use the website

• it is free of bias

Which is the most reliable source?

• Google
• howtobeawesome.org
• nasa.gov
• About.com

Which of the following is a clue that the source is NOT reliable?

• links aren't working
• relevant to your research topic
• able to contact the author
• sources are given for statistics

Which of the following is a clue that the source is NOT reliable?

• date of last update is given
• .gov
• author is listed
• lots of advertising

Just like printed materials, webpages that provide citations of the sources used for the information makes the webpage more credible.

• True 
• False

A website is trustworthy if

• the author's name is cited.
• the date the author originally provided the information is present.
• the author's job or qualification is available.
• all of the above.

Which of these MUST you do to determine if a source is reliable?

• checking to see if you like the website
• make sure the site looks legit
• verify the author's expertise
• make sure the domain is .edu

 Which of the following NOT a good reason to use the source for research?

• The photographs clearly show the experiment.
• The website domain is .com
• The article includes a picture and description of the author's life.
• The exact time the article was posted is listed.

Only experts can post information on the internet.

• True
• False