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Evaluating sources
Using the Internet
Citing sources
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Using the Internet:
The quality of information found on the Web varies a great deal from site to site. Sources for academic research must attribute ideas to their original creators and use verifiable information. Much of what you find on the Web will not meet these qualifications.

Look closely at the content since it is easy to falsify information on the Web.

  • Check how statistics and facts were collected and to whom they are attributed. All should be referenced with a source.
  • Notice if quotations or statements of fact are referenced in a footnote or bibliography. All should be referenced with a source.
  • If there is a bibliography, scan through it to see what types of sources are included. Consider whether this is an opinion piece or essay.
  • Judge whether the source is popular or scholarly. Make sure you are using the appropriate type of source for your assignment.
    • Consider the following criteria when evaluating a Web page. Most pages will not provide all this information. You must weigh what information is available with what is not to decide if the page is appropriate for your research.
Does the author have the expertise to write on this topic?
Unlike most print sources, it can be difficult to determine the author of a Web page. Sometimes the author's name is hidden or it is on another page of the same site. Web pages may be authored by a company or organization, instead of an individual. If you can't find the author of the page, that source might not be appropriate for academic research.

Since anyone can publish on the Web, it is crucial to determine if the author has the background, education or experience to make them an authority on the topic.

  • Check the header and footer on the home page to see if information about the author is included.
  • Look for an affiliation with a company or university. Search the Web site of that organization to confirm the author's affiliation.
  • Use the library catalog or a periodical index to see if the author has written any books or articles on the topic.
  • Enter the author's name into a search engine to find biographical information about the author on other Web pages.
 Is the web site current?
For many research topics, you will be concerned about when the information was created or last updated. Just like you might not want a book or article that was published in print in 1966, you might not want a Web page that has not been maintained since 1995. Or you may want facts, statistics or opinions from a particular year. Either way, it will be important to locate a date when the information was put on the page or last edited.

Web designers who maintain time-sensitive information usually display dates in a prominent location on their pages. However, sometimes the dates are really hard to find. If you cannot find a date on a page, you may want to find alternate sources for your research.

Some tips for locating a date on a page:

  • Look at the header and footer of the page. Web authors usually list a last updated date in those areas.
  • If no date is listed on the page, you can use your browser to look at the date the page was created and last updated.
    Netscape - Use the View menu to look at the Page Info
    Internet Explorer - Use the File menu to look at the Properties.
  • If the author uses facts or statistics from another source, make sure they are properly cited with the date. You may want to confirm this information in the original source for your research.


    • Does the sponsor affect the information on the page?
    The sponsor or publisher of a Web page may dictate the content or may give the author total control of what information is included. Universities often have few policies about students, staff and faculty publishing personal pages on their sites.

    • Look for a link or a logo back to the main page.
    • Do you know the sponsor? Do they seem reputable?
    • Notice if the advertisements take up a significant portion of the page. Many Web designers rent space on their pages. Other sites incorporate advertising for their own products.
    • Remove the file name from the URL. Look at the Web page that exists under this directory. Many times this new page will be part of the sponsoring organization's Web site.

Questions or Comments?
Collin County Community College District
Last Updated 07.15.04
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