- Accuracy
- Does the author cite references to support her/his thesis? Are the references also from credible sources?
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- Author
- Who produced the information? What can you find about the author’s credentials?
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- Objectivity
- Is the content presented as fact or speculation? What is the source’s purpose?
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- Timeframe
- When was the source written/created? Is the information still relevant?
A useful method to evaluate websites — CRAAP test: Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose
It is also a very good idea to employ a method of corroborating information from sites by using “lateral reading” - look to see what other sources say about your source. This is a method commonly used by fact checkers like Snopes.
Here are some more resources about verifying information online by lateral reading:
Rowan University Lib Guide
Purdue Lib Guide