How can you tell that a web site you’d like to use for your research is reliable? Because of the open nature of web publishing (most anyone can post information to a web site and make it look professional), it is especially important that you understand how to evaluate a website for credibility before citing it in your research.
1. Look at the following web sites and answer each of the questions below for each site.
Website 1. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-taking-opiates-for-pain.htm
Website 2. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/opioids/science-of-addiction.html
Who published the site?
Was the site created by a person or an institution?
Website 1. ___________________________________________________________________
Website 2. ___________________________________________________________________
What kind of domain is the site (Government site:.gov or .mil, Educational site: .edu, Noncommercial organizations:.org., Corporate site: .com)?
Website 1. ___________________________________________________________________
Website 2. ___________________________________________________________________
Can you find information on the author of the page or elsewhere? Do their background, education, and experience make them an authority on the topic of the web page? H
Website 1. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Website 2. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Where did the author get his or her information? Are there sources documented with footnotes or links?
Website 1. ___________________________________________________________________
Website 2. __________________________________________________________________
When was the web site created? When was it last updated?
Website 1. ___________________________________________________________________
Website 2. ___________________________________________________________________
Who is the sponsor of the web page, and is the sponsor reputable?
Website 1. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Website 2. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Which website do you believe is most credible for researching the topic, “Opiates for pain relief?” Explain your answer.
Website 1. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Website 2. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Where did the author get his or her information? Are there sources documented with footnotes or links?
Website 1. ___________________________________________________________________
Website 2. __________________________________________________________________
When was the web site created? When was it last updated?
Website 1. ___________________________________________________________________
Website 2. ___________________________________________________________________
Who is the sponsor of the web page, and is the sponsor reputable?
Website 1. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Website 2. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Which website do you believe is most credible for researching the topic, “Opiates for pain relief?” Explain your answer