From WikiHow: http://www.wikihow.com/Sample/Source-Evaluation-Cheat-Sheet
Examples of sources that are often the most credible:
- Official government websites
- Institutional sites that represent universities, regulatory agencies, governing bodies, and respected organizations with specific expertise (e.g., the Mayo Clinic)
- Peer-reviewed journals
- Reputable news sources
Examples of sources that are often considered less credible:
- Blogs
- Web forums
- Individual or business websites
- Materials published by an entity that may have an ulterior motive
Factors to consider |
Least reliable |
Possibly reliable |
Most reliable |
|
Type of source |
Unfamiliar website |
Published material |
Official websites, institutional sites, academic journals |
|
Author’s background |
Uncredited |
Educated on topic |
Expert in the field |
|
Date published |
None |
Outdated |
Recently revised |
|
Depth of review |
Controversial reviews |
Good public response; general approval |
Peer-reviewed by reliable sources |
|
Sources cited |
None |
Credible sources |
Citations referencing other well-cited works |
|
Objectivity |
Clearly biased |
Sponsored source |
Balanced, neutral |
For further information on how to judge the reliability of a web site, you can use the CRRAP test.
From: http://libguides.hacc.edu/Leb_Engl002_Sweeney
What is the CRAAP Test?
-
The CRAAP Test was originally developed at California State University, Chico.
-
CRAAP is an acronym in which each letter represents one of five criteria which should be considered when deciding whether or not an article, a book, a website, or other source of information is a credible one to use for research.
-
The graphic below (from Humber Libraries at Humber College) lists the criteria. (http://libguides.humber.ca/content.php?pid=59653&sid=451734)
- The following rubric is useful for deciding on the value and quality of a website for research. It was developed by the Ron E. Lewis Library at Lamar State College--Orange.