Overall Analysis

Who…is the author or editor? Are there credentials? Is/Are the author/s experts? Laypersons? Look for "About us /Author" links on the page for author’s name and contact information. Who created the page/site? See where the site originated by truncating the URL. To truncate the URL, find the first forward slash ( / ) in the address and eliminate everything forward ( to the right) of that. Use a WHOIS search to help determine ownership of the website.

When…was the information published? Is it current?  Are there obvious revisions or editions? When was the page last updated? Is the currency of the information provided important? Note the date you accessed the site.  You need this for your reference list.

Where…is the information coming from? Is the publisher a university? If so, the material will more than likely be scholarly in nature. Does the site list any sources or methods used in gathering their information? Look at the URL and domain suffix.

Only the following three are may be issued exclusively to those types of sites:

• .mil=U.S. Military.

• .edu=U.S. institution of higher learning.

• .gov=U.S. federal, state, or local government.

All other suffixes can be registered by ANYONE:

• .com, .net, .org, .tv

• Two letter country codes (.uk= United Kingdom; .ca= Canada) can identify where is it from if not the U.S.

• Two letter state codes indicate from which state

URL should match the organization responsible for the page.

In-depth Analysis

What…is the site/material about?  Does it fit your needs? Is it extraneous in nature? What is the focus? Is it for the layperson or the scholar? Look for “About Us” or similar section or link on the page. See if there is a stated mission or purpose.

Why…was the information published and why is the site on the web? Is it to provide support to a theory? Does it intend to sway your thinking? Is it propaganda? Is it to impart information?

      How…accurate or credible is the information/page?  Does the information reflect what you already know about the topic?  How good are the sources used in the preparation of the work? Are reviews of the material/site, if any, positive or skeptical? Verify information in what you know to be a reputable source. If you notice many errors in spellings, punctuation, and grammar, then question the accuracy of the information.