Here are some factors to consider when evaluating web sites for academic research:

Criteria	Suggestions for how to determine if the webpage or site meets the criteria
Content Is your topic covered? Is the information accurate?	· Look in the menus provided to see if any of them might lead you to information about your topic · It’s not always easy to know if the information on a web page is correct, so compare the information with what you find in other sources, such as encyclopedias, books, and magazine and newspaper articles. · Look at spelling and grammar – if the author was not careful to make sure the spelling and grammar were correct, the author may not have made sure the information was correct either.
Authority Who’s the author? Who’s the publisher? Is there a list of sources? Is this an appropriate source for your research? For example, is a cigarette company web site a good place to get information about lung cancer? Is a web page created by a 5^th grade class a good place to find information about air pollution?	· Look for author information, such as name, contact information, educational and professional background, at either the top or the bottom of the page. If there’s no author information there, check the site’s home page for a list of staff that might provide more details. · Look for publisher (company or organization) information: · In the web address (for example, www.sony.com is sponsored by Sony). · At the bottom of the web page. · On the web site’s main/home page – there may be a link that says something like “About us” or “Welcome” or “Who we are.” Look for mission statements, history, contact information, and other organizations the company is associated with. · Look at the domain name (.com, .edu, .org, .gov) to determine what kind of organization or company sponsors the site.
Purpose What is the mission of the site/company? Are any biases or opinions clearly stated? Is the site trying to educate you, entertain you, sell you something, or convince you of something?	· Check the “About Us” or “Who We Are” section, which is usually on the site’s main page.
Date	· The date of last update is typically found at the bottom of a web page; if you don’t see it on the web page you’re viewing, check the site’s main page to see if a date is provided there.
Level of Difficulty	· Is the vocabulary too technical or too scholarly for your purposes? · Is the vocabulary to elementary for college-level research?