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INTERNET RESEARCH—FINDING RELIABLE SOURCES
The Web provides a highly efficient way to do your research. With just a few clicks, you can access a vast amount
of information. However, when you do research on the Web, avoid drawing conclusions before you’ve checked the information
for reliability. Often, you can tell when a Web site contains bias or is opinion-based. Some sites look very convincing but
contain information that is not supported by medical or scientific evidence or experimentation. When you are uncertain of
a source’s reliability, consider the following criteria before you decide to use the information in your research.
CRITERIA FOR RELIABLE WEB SITES
• The authors make their case based on adequate evidence.
• The authors interpret the data cautiously.
• The authors acknowledge and deal with opposing views or arguments.
• The authors give a list of current sources that support their
claims.
Some characteristics of unreliable Web sites require practice to identify. One trick is to look at the sources
that are linked to the source you want to verify. These links can give you some idea of reliability. If your source is linked
to a number of questionable sites, it’s probably not a good source.
CHECKING SOURCE LINKS
• Paste the home page address in the Search
box of your favorite search engine.
• Scan the results, and review the suitability of any questionable
links.
CHARACTERISTICS OF UNRELIABLE WEB SITES
• The authors make extraordinary claims with little supporting
evidence.
• The authors relate evidence based on personal experience instead
of referring to controlled studies.
• The authors appeal to emotion rather than logic.
• The authors misrepresent or ignore opposing views.
• The arguments are biased to support a political or economic
agenda.
• The site is linked to sites that support a particular political
or economic agenda.
As mentioned before, the internet can be your best ally in knowledge,
BUT, be careful what you read and believe. Remember, many opinions, no matter how strongly voiced, are just that...someone's
opinions!
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