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Source Evaluation

What? Source evaluation is a way for you to check the quality, accuracy, and relevance of a source. This is helpful for all types of sources, but is especially important when using websites or internet sources
Why? Since anyone can create a website or share information online without any review for accuracy, it's important to be careful when using a website as a source. While websites and internet articles can be good sources of information, they are more likely to have inaccuracies compared to peer-reviewed journals or reputable newspapers, such as The New York Times.
How to Get Started:
  1. Check the Domain
    • Learn how to find who and where the information is coming from. 
  2. Fact-Check Using Multiple Sources
    • Double check key information and statistics by comparing different websites. 
  3. Use the Source Evaluation Checklist
    • The Source Evaluation Checklist provides you with questions to ask yourself when evaluating an online source. This can help you determine the accuracy, authority, objectivity, currency, and coverage of a source. 

What goes into a URL?

A URL is made up of several different parts. Each part can tell you important information about an online source. The domain name is a great place to start as it can provide information about the type of organization that owns the site, and the nature of the content. 

Check the TLD:

The Top-Level Domain (or TLD) can show the purpose of domain, based on the person or organization that owns the website. Websites with TLDs such as .gov, .edu, and .org are more likely to have accurate and relevant information, compared to .com websites because they are coming from an official source. 

Examples of TLDs:

TLD Details Example
.com

Stands for "commercial"

Website information can come from anyone.

 wikipedia.com
.gov

Stands for "government"

Website information comes from a government agency. 

 cdc.gov
.edu

Stands for "education"

Website information comes from an educational organization such as college, school, or university.

 ctstate.edu
.org

Stands for "organization"

Website information comes from a registered nonprofit organization.

 horizonwings.org

How can you tell if a website that seems trustworthy has unreliable information? How can you determine when a website contains both reliable information and inaccuracies? 

Even the best of us can be tricked into believing and re-posting bad information! Sometimes you need to judge information not just by where you found it, but consider its overall context. For example, a news article can contain many facts about an event, but it could also be contain personal or organization bias.
Questions to Ask Yourself: Why this Helps:
  1. Have you looked at/compared several articles from the first or second page of results to get a sense of what is out there before starting to read individual pages?
  1. Getting a feel for what information is out there will help you pick the sources that are likely to be most useful for your current project.
  1. Has the information been taken out of context?  Have important parts of the information been left out or changed?
  1. Context is key in understanding the trustworthiness of the information you have.  Any piece of information you have that has been taken out of context should be traced back to its original source.
  1. Have you located the best presentation of the information? 
  1. While the information may be the same across multiple locations, it may be easier to read, easier to understand, or presented by a more trustworthy source in particular places.
  1. Is it easy to find where the information originated? Have you found the same information on several different pages?  Is there a consensus about the issue or piece of information?  
  1. It has become easier to manipulate information online.  The information may have been taken out of context, or the information may have been changed.

Source Evaluation Checklist

To check if a website is a good source, be sure to ask the following questions in these categories: 

Criteria Questions to Ask Why is this Important?
Accuracy

Are there sources or links on the website that back up their claims? 

Do you see citations (MLA, APA, Chicago) or a Works Cited section?

Evaluating accuracy ensures that the information is correct and fact-based. Misinformation or disinformation can be hard to spot and can undermine an argument or lead to incorrect conclusions. 
Authority

Is the author an expert in this field of content? 

Is there any information regarding the background of the author? 

Does the author have any qualifications, awards, or credentials? 

 Understanding the authority of the author or publisher is essential because it establishes trust. If the author is an expert, the information is more likely to be credible. In contrast, relying on anonymous or unqualified sources can lead to misinformation or poorly supported arguments.
Objectivity

What is the intention or purpose of the article? Is it trying to inform, persuade, entertain or sell you something?

Does the source use personal opinions, emotions, or bias? 

Is the information presented in a balanced way, or does it favor a particular viewpoint over another? 

Every source has a perspective, but identifying bias allows you to use sources appropriately—either acknowledging or avoiding overly slanted information. 

Using multiple sources to cross-reference your information can be really useful when determining objectivity. 
Currency

How old is the article? Can you find a "last updated" note?

If this article is very old, how relevant is it now? Is it still useful? 

 The timeliness of information can drastically impact its relevance, especially in areas that evolve quickly, such as technology or medicine. Using outdated sources can impact the strength of your argument, or give you an inaccurate understanding of the field. 
Coverage

Compared to other sources on this topic, how useful is this source? 

Are there other sources that cover this topic better? More accurately? 

 A source that lacks depth or overlooks key aspects may not be as useful as others, and it is important to compare multiple sources to get the most complete understanding of a topic. 

Bonus Tip! While evaluating sources for bias, it's important to recognize your own personal biases and preferences. Everyone has viewpoints and opinions shaped by personal experiences, values, and beliefs, which unconsciously affect how we interpret information. For example, research shows that people tend to trust sources that support their existing beliefs while ignoring or downplaying conflicting evidence or opinions. This is called confirmation bias. When conducting research, be aware of these tendencies and try to approach sources with an open mind. This way, you're more likely to value information because it's credible, objective, and well-supported, rather than just because it matches your own views. 

Government Statistics

  • Not sure which statistics website you need?  Google your search term, adding the word statistics and the command site:.gov

Fact Checking

  • Climate Feedback - network of scientists investigating claims about and media coverage of climate change.
  • Factcheck -- nonpartisan and nonprofit, "aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics"
  • Hoax-Slayer - debunks email and social media hoaxes; posts news about internet scams.
  • NPR Fact Check - National Public Radio's current and archived articles fact-checking statements of politicians.
  • Politifact​-- sponsored by the Tampa Bay Times, an independent newspaper, this website "checks claims by elected officials, candidates, leaders of political parties and political activists." 
  • Pundifact -- also sponsored by the Tamba Bay Times, specifically checking claims made by "pundits" or the so-called experts and opinion makers frequently interviewed on news programs
  • SciCheck - sponsored by FactCheck.Orf, identifies false or misleading scientific claims.
  • Snopes -- well-respected website that gets to the bottom of urban legends and national rumors.
  • Truth Be Told - a non-profit, non-partisan, sponsored by Howard University’s Department of Media, Journalism and Film in the School of Communications, examines claims about the black community in public debate. 
  • Washington Post Fact Checker - Award-winning fact-checking website, goal is to "truth-squad" statements made by elected officials and government leaders.