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BI 112 - Human Biology I: Websites

This guide is to assist students in classes taught by professors Kenny and with the PSA project.

Evaluating internet resources

When looking at a web site, ask yourself the following:

Who?

  • Is the author or organization identifiable?

  • Is there information on the author's or organization's background? (Check for an "About Us" tab on a site's homepage, or check the bottom of the page to see a site's host.)

  • Is there contact information (an email address, phone number, etc.) for the author?

What?

  • Does the site cover a specific time period or aspect of a topic, or does it cover the topic in depth?

  • Based on your knowledge of the topic, what information is included or omitted?

  • Is it done or "under construction"?

Where?

  • To what domain (.edu, .gov, .org, .mil, .com) does it belong?

  • Is it linked to other reputable sites?

When?

  • When was it mounted?

  • When was it last updated? How often is it updated? (Many websites list when they were last updated at the bottom of the page)

Why?

  • What is the site's purpose?

  • Based on your knowledge, is the information on the site factual, opinion, or propaganda?

  • Are there a lot of ads? Is the site trying to sell something?

How?

  • Is the site well organized?

  • Is the site professional looking and well designed?

  • Are the images used to enhance, rather than impress?

Search engines - Going beyond Google

While commercial search engines such as Google, Bing and Yahoo! can find plenty of results, those results may not be adequate for college-level research. Try these academic search engines instead:

Websites

Evaluating Streaming Video

The following link can help teach you how to determine if a video clip is a credible source:

URLs: A Useful Evaluation Tool

A URL (Universal Resource Locator) is the three letters that appear at the end of a web address (.com, .org). URLs are helpful in determining whether a not a website is a credible information source.

  • .com - The most common URL. These can be purchased by anyone. Often used for commercial purposes (such as businesses)
  • .org - Usually associated with non-profit organizations.
  • .gov - In the U.S., this represents a government site, from local and county offices through state and federal offices. Government sites are excellent sources that are updated frequently.
  • .edu - This URL is associated with educational institutions, from colleges and universities, some museums (such as The Clark in Williamstown, Mass.) and public and private K-12 schools. These sites can have excellent information, particularly at the university level, but if the web address on a .edu site has an ntilde (~) in it, be wary: it's probably a student-built site.