As a research tool, however, the Web lacks the quality assurance that editors provide with print publications or that librarians provide when collecting materials for their library. Therefore, given that some Web sites are out-of date, biased, or inaccurate, it is crucial that people doing research in this medium learn how to critically evaluate the material they find.
The following checklist, divided into five separate criteria for evaluation, presents questions that should be asked to determine if a Web resource is of high quality or not. Go through each criterion and answer the questions. The greater number of questions answered "yes," the more likely that the source is of high quality.
Criterion #1: Authority
Criterion #2: Accuracy
Criterion #3: Objectivity
Criterion #4: Currency
Criterion #5: Coverage