LibGuides at USA: SW 200/SW 201: Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare: Websites

Evaluating Web Information

Sometimes, it is appropriate to use websites as resources for research projects. Always evaluate a website for usefulness, accuracy, and trustworthiness before using the website as a reference. Even when using a website for personal research, always evaluate the likely accuracy of the content. This will help you avoid misinformation or disinformation.

You can evaluate a website by some criteria. You can use these criteria to form an impression of a website. If the website fails any of these criteria, it doesn't automatically make the website a "bad source":

Purpose & Audience
- Who is the site designed for?
- Is the site scholarly or popular?
- Are there advertisements on the site?
- What is the overall purpose of the site?
Authority & Credibility
- Can the author of the site be identified? (Is the "author" an organization?)
- Can the author be contacted? Is there any contact information?
- What are the author's qualifications? Do their qualifications show expertise on the subject?
- Is the site affiliated with a particular organization?
- What is the domain of the site (.edu, .gov, .org, .com)?
Accuracy & Reliability
- Does the site appear to be well-researched?
- Are there references supporting the site's statements or viewpoints? How well do the references relate to the site's claims? Are the references high-quality themselves?
- Is it easy to tell which references support which claims?
- Does the site include grammatical, spelling, or typographical errors?
- How does the site compare to library resources available on the topic?
Currency & Timeliness
- When was this information on the website published?
- Does the page indicate when it was most recently updated?
- Are there dead links on the page?
Objectivity or Bias
- Does the site present many opinions or just one?
- Does the site present opinions or facts?
- What biases can you identify?
- Is the site sponsored by a company or organization?
- If there are advertisements, are they easy to distinguish from the informational content?
Structure & Navigation
- Is the site well organized? Can you tell what content goes together?
- Is it easy to navigate between different pages on the site?
- Does the site have a search box?

Finally, ask yourself these questions:

Is this site a reliable, well-documented information source provided by a reputable author or organization?
Would this be a good source of information for my assignment?

Some Website Resources

Rand Publications This link opens in a new window
Citations and abstracts for Rand publications. Rand's research area of interest is public policy research and analysis.

Brookings Institute
"The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. Our mission is to conduct in-depth, nonpartisan research to improve policy and governance at local, national, and global levels."
Southern Poverty Law Center
"The SPLC is a catalyst for racial justice in the South and beyond, working in partnership with communities to dismantle white supremacy, strengthen intersectional movements, and advance the human rights of all people."
Pew Research Center
"Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. We conduct public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research. We do not take policy positions."
U.S. Census Bureau
"The Census Bureau's mission is to serve as the nation’s leading provider of quality data about its people and economy."
National Institute of Health
"The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the nation’s medical research agency — making important discoveries that improve health and save lives."
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
"CDC is the nation's leading science-based, data-driven, service organization that protects the public's health. CDC works 24/7 to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S."
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
"CMS is the federal agency that provides health coverage to more than 160 million through Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, and the Health Insurance Marketplace. CMS works in partnership with the entire health care community to improve quality, equity and outcomes in the health care system."
National Association of Social Workers
"Founded in 1955, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world. NASW works to enhance the professional growth and development of its members, to create and maintain professional standards, and to advance sound social policies."
National Alliance on Mental Illness
"NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness."