You can find great information and resources on the Internet. But when reading information on the Internet, it is important to be a critical thinker. You need to consider the author, the information, and the site to ascertain if the information expressed on the website is credible. There are five general ways to establish website credibility:
- Objectivity
- Currency
- Authority
- Accuracy
- Coverage
Let's look at each of these in more detail:
Objectivity: What is the purpose of the site? What is the point-of-view?
Currency: How current (or how old) is the site? When was it last updated?
Authority: Who is the author of the information? What are their credentials? Do they have expertise in this subject?
Accuracy: Is the information on the site supported with documented facts?
Coverage: This is the simplicity or complexity with which the author explains the information
