Research Fundamentals Tutorial

When you know the context in which information was created, you can better determine whether it’s the right article for your research. The same is true for evaluating websites. Just like evaluating articles from a database, good website evaluation includes asking yourself about the...

• Author: Who wrote this, and what are their credentials? What makes them an expert?
• Owner: What organization owns this website, online publication, social media platform, etc. and why?
• Type of information: Is this a broad overview, detailed and research based, opinion, expert analysis, a list of facts?
• My purpose: Could I use this information to credibly inform my own arguments?

Some people may offer rules for website evaluation, for example, never use a website ending in .com. Many of these rules are outdated or don't apply in every situation.

Take a look at the rules below, and decide whether they're myths or truths.

Click Next to check your answer.