BIOL 1 (Schmid): Evaluating Online Information

No matter where you start your search for information you will want to do a basic assessment. Below are some quick tips to help you evaluate an online resource.

1. Scan the website. Does it look professional? Are there obvious errors such as grammar or spelling mistakes, or lots of broken links? How up to date is the information?
2. What does the website say about the author and/or organization? This information should be transparent and verifiable. 
3. Unless you know and really trust a resource, verify the information with several other resources. For example, Wikipedia articles often have a section called "controversy" or "criticism." You can also do a search for the creator of the information using the terms "controversy" or "criticism." Analyze who is saying what, and why.  Take this information into account when assessing your resource. 

For a more comprehensive list of evaluation techniques consult the Evaluating Online Information handout. 

The following series of videos walks you through verifying online sources. They provide a good set of skills for when you are searching for any type of online information. 

Online Verification Skills — Video 1: Introductory Video

Below are the other videos in the series:

Online Verification Skills — Video 2: Investigate the Source

Online Verification Skills — Video 3: Find the Original Source

Online Verification Skills — Video 4: Look for Trusted Work

Videos are provided through NewsWise - a news literacy program to provide school-aged Canadians an understanding of the role of journalism in a healthy democracy and the tools to find and filter information online.