The Internet provides access to a wide variety of sources, created by various individuals and groups. You should always evaluate the credibility of a website before using it as a source for your research. Some criteria you should keep in mind when evaluating a site:
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Authority |
Does the author provide email or contact information? What are their credentials? |
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Purpose |
Why was the page created? Who is the audience? Does it support scholarly research? |
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Currency |
Was it updated recently? Do the links work? Is the information outdated? |
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Objectivity |
Is the information biased? Is there a conflict of interest? Are the facts accurate? |
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Domain |
What type of domain? .gov (government) .edu (educational) .org (non-profit) .com (is it a reputable author or company?) |
(Line of anthracite coal miners coming out of Powderly Mine). Margaret Bourke-White. 1931. The International Center for Photography, New York. Accessed 13 Sept. 2010. http://emuseum.icp.org/
Museum and gallery sites are useful for images, articles, and cultural information.