These questions should help you to judge some of the information you find on the Internet:

1. Your Knowledge
   • How does this information compare to what you already know?
   • How does it change what you know?
2. Authority
• Who is providing the information?
• Where did their information come from?
• Do they provide evidence or examples to support their points?
• Why do you think they are providing this information?
3. Time
• How old is the information?
• Does it include recent information?
4. Scope
• How much information is given?
• How broad is the topic area?
• How in-depth is the information?
5. Form
• In what package is the information being presented?
• Is it a web page, a newsgroup posting, a text file?
6. Clarity
• Is the information clearly presented?
• Is it well organized?
• Is the site user friendly?
7. Recommendations
• Have people that you respect (friends, teachers, librarians, or parents, etc.) recommended this site as a good source of information?
8. Validity
• How true do you think the information is?
• What makes you think so?
9. Importance
• Is this important information?
• If it is, why is it important?

If you have any questions or comments, please contact Ellen Columbus.

These questions were prepared by evik@gslis.utexas.edu.