Though the Internet is convenient and fast, it may not be easy to evaluate the information you find.  To help determine if you are looking at credible site, use these criteria.  If you can't find the answers to these questions then it may be best to look for another source, and/or work on your search strategy (keywords used, word order etc.). 

Librarians are experts at finding quality information, so ask for help!

Purpose: The reason the site exists

• What is the purpose of the information?  to inform? to teach? to sell? to advocate or persuade?
• Does the author(s) make his/her intentions or purpose clear?
• Is the information fact, opinion or propaganda?
• Does the point of view appear objective and impartial?
• If there are political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional, or personal biases is it transparent that that is what the site is promoting?

Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs

• Would you be comfortable justifying using this source for a research paper?
• Does the information directly relate to your topic or answer your research question?
• Who is the intended audience (the general public, scholars on a topic, an industry insider)?
• Is the information at an appropriate level (not too basic or advanced for your needs)?
• Have you looked at a variety of sources before determining this is the best one to use?  Most people never go beyond the first page of results for a search, so knowing that, have you at least looked at 4 or 5 results from your first search?

Authority: The source of the information

• Who is the author/source/publisher?  Sometimes it can be a corporation, or a government agency, which does not make the site inappropriate to use for research.  However, if it is difficult to figure out who is responsible, forget the site and move on.
• Are the author's credentials given?
• Is the author qualified to write on this topic? (Detective work- if they say they work at Harvard, you an easily verify that..)
• If there is not contact information, forget the site.
• What does the URL reveal about the source or author? (.com .edu .gov .org)

Accuracy: The reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the content

• Are facts stated supported by evidence?
• Can you verify the information in another source or by your own knowledge?
• Does the language or tone seem biased?
• Are there spelling, grammatical or typographical errors?

Currency: The timeliness of the information.  

Some topics are classic, and historical perspectives are important, however if your topic is on a current issue consider the following:

• When was the information published or posted?  If there are a lot of dead links, forget the site.
• Has the information been revised or updated?