10 Ways To Determine The Credibility Of Information On The Internet
There are multiple things to look at and consider when attempting to determine the credibility of information on the Internet. The following information was researched and compiled to help reveal this list of 10 ways to determine the credibility of information on the Internet.
1. Use the URL to determine the source of the information. “Addresses ending in .gov, .us and (STATE ABBREVIATION) are reliable” (Alanacausey, 2008). The URL is also an indicator if it contains tildes (~), this can mean that the site was published by an individual and thus may not be credible.
2. Determine whether the information is up-to-date. “Obviously, Internet pages that have been published more recently are more credible” (Alanacausey, 2008). A web site that is updated more often shows that the author takes the time to care for the information they present and thus is probably a credible source.
3. Find out who the author is. If the author is credible he or she should display some credentials that would reveal their educational or business background. If you cannot easily and clearly see the name of the author for the site, it is probably not a credible source.
4. What is the scope or purpose of the site. In other words, the “ease of finding out the scope and criteria for inclusion that lets me see whether there is a match with my needs” (Tillman 2003). If the scope of the information is erratic or inconsistent, I would think twice about using the information.
5. The site should include some form of contact information and a list of resources used for development of the site. A good source of information should include at least two references in my opinion.
6. Another aspect to consider is the Appearance and design of the site, does it look professional. If the author used bad grammar or spelling, and if the overall design of the site is sub-par than it may be suspect. An author that cares for the information they present is clearly more concerned about...
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