COMP111: Prof. Muzyk: Websites

Tips on finding reliable, non-biased websites:

Use Google Advanced Search to:

• Limit your search to specific domains, such as U.S. government (.gov), U.S. military (.mil) or U.S. college/university (.edu)
• Limit your search to a specific country by using country domain codes

Consider the following criteria when using a website for your research:

• What is the domain in the URL? Examples of some domains are:
  • organization (.org) 
  • commercial (.com)
  • government (.gov)
  • university/college (.edu)
• Who is the author? Does he/she have credentials or institutional affiliation?
• When was the information published?
• Can the information be corroborated with another published source?

If you are still not sure, apply the C.R.A.A.P. test to the website:

Currency -- Has the website been updated recently? Do the links still work? Do the graphics still load? Is copyright information provided?

Relevance -- Is the website about the topic you are researching? Who is the intended audience (college students, K-12, professors)?

Authority -- What are the author's/publisher's credentials? What is the publisher's angle? Is contact information provided?

Accuracy -- Are sources cited for the claims made? Has the information been reviewed? Can you verify the facts? Are there spelling or other errors?

Purpose -- Is the website intended to persuade? Does the author/publisher make the intent clear? Does the information seem impartial or biased?