Calhoun Community College Libraries

Internet Resource Evaluation Form (detailed)

Name:

Date:


	Source Name:


	URL:


	Answer yes or no to each of the following questions, and if the page gives the information, write it on the line next to the answer.

AUTHORITY
1. Is there a sponsoring organization for the page?	YES	NO
2. What is the top-level domain of the site (.edu, .gov, etc…)
3. Is there a link to a page describing the purpose of the sponsoring organization?	YES	NO
4. Is there a way of verifying the legitimacy of the page’s sponsor? Is there a phone number or postal address to contact for more information? (Simply and e-mail address is not enough).	YES	NO
5. Is it clear who is the author?	YES	NO
6. Are the author’s qualifications for writing on this topic clearly stated?	YES	NO
7. Is the name of the copyright holder given?	YES	NO

ACCURACY
1. Are the sources for any factual information clearly listed so they can be Verified in another source?	YES	NO
2. Is the information free of grammatical, spelling, and other typographical errors? (These kinds of errors not only indicate a lack of quality control, but also can actually produce inaccuracies in information).	YES	NO
3. If there are charts or graphs containing statistical data, are they clearly labeled and easy to read?	YES	NO

OBJECTIVITY
1. Is the information provided as a public service?	YES	NO
2. Is the information free of advertising?	YES	NO
3. If there is any advertising on the page, is it clearly differentiated from the informational content?	YES	NO
4. Does the author have a bias?	YES	NO
5. Is the author affiliated with a particular organization or association?	YES	NO

CURRENCY
1. Are there dates on the page to indicate:
a. When the page was written?
b. When the page was first placed on the Web?
c. When the page was last revised?
2. Are there any other indications that the material is kept current?	YES	NO
3. If material is presented in graphs or charts, is it clearly stated when the data was gathered?	YES	NO
4. Are the links up-to-date?	YES	NO

COVERAGE
1. Is there an indication that the page has been completed and is not still under construction?	YES	NO
2. If there is a print equivalent to the Web page, is there a clear indication whether the entire work is available on the Web or only parts of it?	YES	NO
3. If the material is from a work that is out of copyright (as is often the case with a dictionary or thesaurus), has there been an effort to update the material to make it more current?	YES	NO

Delores Carlito, General Reference Librarian

Updated 12/05; 1/05; 08/03; 07/02

Created 07/00

Used By Permission

Mervyn H. Sterne Library