REMEMBER: Almost anyone can have a web page. So some information on the Web is biased, undocumented, or just plain wrong. You will need to evaluate web sites for accuracy, audience, authority, currency, objectivity, and purpose. Here is a checklist you can use:

Accuracy:

• Does the author cite reliable sources for his or her facts?


• How does the information compare with that in other works written about this topic?

Audience:

• Who do you think the author/s of the web site are trying to reach?
• Is there a particular group or segment of society that the author/s are targeting?

Authority:

• What are the author's qualifications for writing on this subject?


• Is he or she connected with an organization that has an established reputation?

Currency:

• Does the web site include a publication date or "last updated" date?

Objectivity:

• Is the author affiliated with a particular organization that might have a bias?
  

Purpose:

• Is the author's purpose to inform, e.g. provide new information, current events, etc?


• Is the author's purpose to explain, e.g. describe a process, teach, etc?


• Is the author's purpose to persuade, e.g. change your mind, convince you to buy, etc?

Domain Names

The domain name in the URL (Universal Resource Locator, or web site address) can be a clue to who published the web page and how reliable it is. The most common domain name suffixes on the Internet are:

.edu: The page has some connection to an educational institution. Web pages sponsored by educational institutions are usually the most reliable, but you still want to evaluate the individual author and his or her authority to write on a given topic. Be aware that the ~ or tilde symbol in a URL is a clue that you are viewing an individual's web page.

.org: The page is sponsored by a non-profit organization. These web sites may have some bias, but can be useful for research purposes if the organization is considered an authority or collects information that no one else does.

.gov: The page is produced by a government agency and may provide the only source for some information, such as census data.

.mil: The page is produced by the U.S. Department of Defense.

.com: The page is produced by a commercial entity. It may be trying to sell you something, not necessarily just its opinion. Be wary of using these sites for research.

.net: --is officially reserved for network associations such as ISPs, but in practice anyone can register a .net name.

List of http://aerohost.com/new-domains.htm that are either coming soon or are already in use.

In addition to domain name suffixes, international Web sites often include a code suffix that follows the domain name and that indicates the country the site is based. U.S. Internet sites rarely use country code suffixes; in fact, these suffixes are optional for other countries. For example, the country code suffix for Japan is .jp, but a Web site in Japan can choose not to include this code. Here is a complete list of Domain country names:
http://www.domainit.com/country-domains.htm

Taking URLs Apart

If you are unable to answer all these questions about an individual Web page, try manipulating the address to dig deeper into the Web site. For example, if no sponsoring institution or author information was found at the URL:

http://www.auburn.edu/~noenanc/photo.htm

then try opening the URL minus the "photo.htm" file name:

http://www.auburn.edu/~noenanc

If you still don't find the information you need, try taking off the next element, i.e. the directory name(s). Directory names are located between slashes (/) and do not contain any extensions such as .html, .htm, or .shtml. You can "back-up" the address in this manner until you reach the stem address which usually includes the machine name, institution identifier, and domain name, ".com", e.g. "www.auburn.edu". Once you identify all the elements, you can evaluate the document using the guidelines listed above.