Consider these concepts as you navigate information for your classes. This criteria can also be applied to print sources and media. ACCURACY Remember, almost anyone can publish on the web. As opposed to scholarly or academic sources in print or online, many web sites are not verified. There are no web standards to ensure accuracy. If there are no references or other sources cited it will be more difficult to establish accuracy. AUTHORITY It is often difficult to determine the authorship and qualifications. (Try Googling or checking Wikipedia for the name, organization) OBJECTIVITY/BIAS Remember that many people consider the web as a place to state their opinions. Bias will often exist, but it helps to be clear about it before you use the information. CURRENCY Often dates are omitted or may mean the date that the information was originally written, the date it was placed on the web, or the date it was last revised. COVERAGE Coverage may differ from print resources. AFFILIATION How might this affiliation affect objectivity? AUDIENCE Is the language or data used complex and specific, or simplified? STABILITY OF INFORMATION PRIVILEGE / ACCESS Think about if there is anyone else who might contribute a different perspective to the information. Seek out those voices might be missing, left-out, or not prioritized in the work. CONTEXT Has the information been removed or extracted from an original source? Sometimes it can be hard to tell if the information is accurate or reliable if it has been taken out of it's original context. DOMAINS/URLs Domain name types and checking out the URL or the DOI for the page or site can provide some help. Some of the basics are:
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