General Research: Find Websites

Guidelines for evaluating websites.

Purpose

• Why was this source created? 
•  What audience was it created for?
•  Is it scholarly or popular? Does this matter?

Authority

• Who is the author? A person? A corporation?
• What are the author's qualifications for writing on this subject?

Timeliness

• Is there a date?
•  When was the content last updated?

Scope

• Does it give too much or too little information?
• How specific is the information provided?

It is important to be discerning when using the web to locate sources. There are some very valuable resources out there as well as some shady ones. Make sure to follow the guidelines listed to the left when browsing the internet for research.

Here are a few research guides that may be useful to you when beginning your research paper or project.