Library Resources for the USD - Sioux Falls: Evaluating Web Sites

Currency: The timeliness of the information.

Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs.

Authority: The source of the information.

Accuracy: The reliability, truthfulness and correctness of the content.

Purpose: The reason the information exists.

Who wrote the page?  

• Who is the author or the name of the organization? Note: an email contact is not enough information.
• What are the author's or orgnaizaitons' credentials? Are they qualified to provide information? 

Does the page have a date, or last updated date? Is it current?

• Using undated factual or statistical information is just as bad as using anonymous information.

What is the author's purpose in writing this page?

• To educate? To inform? To anger? To sell? 
• Is there advertising on the page? If so, the site is for-profit. Consider what this means in conjunction with the information provided. 

Accuracy

• Does the information appear plausible, or realistic? 
• Does the author site other sources as to where the information came from? 
• Are there typos, or misspelled words on the page? Does the author use correct grammar and punctuation?

Remember, you can use the CRAAP test on Web sites too!