Should I trust this?
The following questions and clues can help determine whether or not to trust a website:
Where is the website coming from or who is the author?
Look for clues like…
- an “About” or “More about the Author” link
- the domain name (.edu, .com, .mil, .gov, .org)
Does the website present a certain bias or specific opinion?
Look for clues like…
- links or references to other websites or sources that might be associated with specific biases
- the language being used
Can you tell when it was published?
Look for clues like…
- phrases that include the words “updated” or “published”
- specific dates
Who is the target audience for the website?
Look for clues like…
- references to specific organizations or groups of people
- advertisements that might be targeting specific groups
Popular vs. Scholarly
The following table describes popular and scholarly articles and the spaces in between. It might be more helpful to think of resources as a spectrum rather than two diametrically opposed categories into which all sources must fit.
