As with printed resources, you may retrieve some electronic information that is not suitable for your research topic. Ask yourself these questions to determine if a particular website or page is right for you:
- Currency -- Is this information current? Can I find a date on the page to tell me when it was created or last revised? How stable or permanent is this information?
- Relevance -- Is the format or medium useful or appropriate for your topic? Is it a primary, secondary or tertiary source? Is it comprehensive? Who is the intended audience?
- Authority -- Who is the author? Whare are his or her credentials? Is the source authoritative?
- Accuracy -- Is the information accurate? How is it printed? Is it a fact or does it show bias?
- Purpose -- What is the purpose? Is a particular point of view expressed?