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Fact checktest
This document provides guidance on evaluating the accuracy, authority, objectivity, currency, and coverage of internet resources. It advises checking who authored the content, their credentials, the publisher, when it was created and last updated, and whether sources are cited. Domain names like .edu, .gov and .org typically indicate more authoritative sources. If a site lists a credible author, has been recently updated, and provides balanced and objective information with cited sources, then it may be a valuable resource.
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Fact checktest
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- 2. Things to Consider… Accuracy Coverage Currency Authority Objectivity
- 3. Accuracy of WebDocuments Ask yourself: Who wrote the page and can you contact the author?
- 4. Authority of WebDocuments Ask yourself: •Who published the document and is it separate from the "Webmaster?" •What are the Authors’ credentials?
- 5. Authority of WebDocuments Check the domain of the document. What institution publishes this document? .com = a commercial organization Ex: www.sony.com .edu = an educational institution Ex: www.gmu.edu .gov = a government organization Ex: www.whitehouse.gov .mil = a military organization Ex: www.navy.mil .org = a non-profit organization Ex: www.redcross.org
- 6. Objectivity of WebDocuments Ask yourself: What goals/objectives does this page meet? How detailed is the information? What opinions (if any) are expressed by the author?
- 7. Currency of WebDocuments Ask yourself: When was it produced? When was it updated? How up-to-date are the links (if any)?
- 8. Coverage of theWeb Documents Ask yourself: Are the links (if any) evaluated and do they complement the document’s theme? Is the webpage all images or a balance of text and images? Does the author cite his sources?
- 9. Putting it alltogether Accuracy - If your page lists the author and institution that published the page and provides a way of contacting them and . . . Authority - If your page lists the author’s credentials and its domain is preferred (.edu, .gov, .org, .net), and . . .
- 10. Objectivity - Ifyour page provides accurate information with limited advertising and it is objective in presenting the information, and . . . Currency - If your page is current and updated regularly (as stated on the page) and the links (if any) are also up-to-date, and . . . Coverage - If the links are evaluated, the content is balanced, and the source is cited . . . then . . .
- 11. You may havea Web page that could be of value to your research!
Editor's Notes
- #3 These are five criteria to consider when evaluating a website. Accuracy, Authority, Objectivity, Currency and Coverage. Depending on the data, all 5 criteria may not be needed. These are just some general guidelines to be aware of and to consider.
- #4 AccuracyIf possible, get the author’s e-mail or a contact information.
- #5 Know the distinction between author and WebmasterThe author is the person who provides the content of the information. They can be a person, an institution or organization.The webmaster is responsible for designing the website, generating and revising web pages. In essence making sure the site runs correctly.What credentials are listed for the author?
- #6 Where is the document published? Check URL domain. Web sites are created for many purposes: To entertain, to market a product, to educate, or to try to convince you of something. See if you can tell if the site was created for an informational, commercial, personal, entertainment, educational, governmental, or advocacy purpose. Looking at the URL might give you some clues. For example, URLs with the following domain names will belong to different types of organizations:
- #7 Determine if page is a mask for advertising; if so information might be biased. View any Web page as you would an infomercial on television. Ask yourself why was this written and for whom?
- #8 Consider if the links and information was updated and if it important to the data. Depending on the nature of the data , updated data results should be consistent with the original findings.How many dead links are on the page? Are the links current or updated regularly? Is the information on the page outdated?
- #9 Are the links relevant?How does the page look in generalWhere did the author get his or her information?