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LAWS-3002 - Comparative Justice

Evaluating Websites

It's important to evaluate any information you find online to ensure it is reliable and trustworthy. Use the elements and questions below to review a website before including it in your assignment. 

Questions to Ask:

Authority 
  • Is the author/producer easy to identify?
  • Are the author's credentials listed?
  • Is the author's affiliation easy to determine (e.g. university, government)
Content
  • Are there errors or discrepancies on the site?  
  • Is the content appropriate for your needs?
  • Is there sufficient coverage of the topic?
Currency
  • Can you find the date that the site was created?
  • Was the site updated recently?
  • Do the links on the site work?
Objectivity
  • Is the information factual or opinion?
  • Is the site trying to sell something that seems too good to be true?  
  • Is the information consistent with other sources you’ve found?
  • Is the source of the information provided?