INFORMATION CREDIBILITY

10 Ways To Determine Information Credibility On The Internet



10 Ways To Determine Information Credibility 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 the information they provide and thus the quality and credibility are still there.

Evaluate the information to ensure it is complete. If “the article still leaves you with questions, it may not be the most credible source” (Alanacausey, 2008).

Ensuring that the author does not show a bias towards the topic. One of the key points for this topic is the “Presentation of facts and arguments for both sides of a controversial issue” Bell & Smith (2008). “Many well developed pages offer links to other pages on the same topic that they consider worthwhile. They are inviting you to compare their information with other pages” Bell and Smith, (2008).

Verify the sources (i.e. references) for the information contained on the site to help provide more information and in essence help to prove that the information is credible.

Always maintain a questioning attitude when dealing with information from the internet. The many diverse methods of authoring websites can create ...