How to Use Web Content as Research Material

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We all mine the internet for information these days. Many websites are reliable and timely sources of advice, intelligence and data for people researching special topics. Some sites, however, want your attention for their own purposes. Answer these questions to sort the reliable from the questionable.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Step1

Who owns the site? SAMHSA, the government's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, addresses drug abuse treatment differently than a private, for-profit treatment facility. Most sites include an "About Us" link on the front page. You might need to scroll to the bottom of the page to find it. Learn all you can about the website's owner so you can evaluate the quality of the content effectively.

Step2

What is the purpose of the site? A site created to sell services or products will provide information differently than a not-for-profit informational site. The company's or agency's mission statement should answer questions about purpose.

Step3

When was the site last updated? Sometimes, old information is worse than no information.

Step4

Where does the site's information come from? There are many online tools that look like reliable sources, but their articles do not explain where their information came from. If you cannot identify the original source by looking at references or links on the site, beware the information you find there.

Step5

How do you make attribution? Just because you found it floating around on the web does not mean you can claim it as yours. Always make note of the URL, the date you visited the site and the owner or author. Include a reference in whatever you are writing.