1. Evaluating & Citing Websites
Learning outcomes:
• Determine if the information discovered is relevant
for the needs of the assignment.
• Identify prejudice, bias, deception, or manipulation.
• Cite correctly (APA) online sources.
• Choose key concepts or terms appropriate to search.
• Examine and compare information found in
websites, and evaluate for reliability, validity,
accuracy, authority, scope, and timeliness.
LIBR 250, Section1
Winter 2013 / Terrones

2. Let’s Compare
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
The Onion
http://www.theonion.com/
Fun fact: Reputable Chinese newspaper duped
by The Onion.

3. Authority (author)
Is the author known?
Do you recognize this author or their work?
Who created this information and why?
What knowledge or skills do they have in the
area?

4. Objectivity
Is the information biased, i.e. only shows one
perspective.
Is the information balanced (shows both
sides)?
How can you tell it shows bias?
How does the sponsorship impact the
perspective of the information?
Could the information obviously bogus (fake,
humorous, a parody, or satire)?

5. Timeliness
Is the information current? Does the page
provide information about timeliness such as
specific dates of information?
Does currency of information matter with
your particular topic?
How current are the sources or links?

6. Relevance
Is the information helpful?
Think about whether you need this
information.
Do the facts contribute something new or add
to your knowledge of the subject?
Will this information be useful to your
project?

7. Practice
Work with your team to compare
and evaluate the following
websites based on the "Evaluating
Criterion" listed in the Website
Evaluating worksheet.
http://calstatela.libguides.com/terrones_libr250

8. Citation Elements (4 Ws)
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of
publication). Title of document. Retrieved from
http://Web address
Webpages with authors tutorial
Webpages without authors tutorial
Webpages with no author, no date tutorial

9. Website citations will include:
• Author(s) of document (person or organization)
• Year of publication in parenthesis. No date? use
(n.d.)
• Title in Italics
• Retrieval date only if info changes frequently (e.g.
wiki pages)
• Identify the publisher/organization
• Web address URL

10. URL
Title
Author/
Organization/
Publisher
Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics. (2012). America’s children in brief:
Key national indicators of well-being, 2012. Retrieved from http://www.childstats.gov/
americaschildren/

11. URL
Title
Author/
Organization/
Publisher
The statistics provided by the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and
Family Statistics are a great resource to share with parents as well as
family service providers because of its “nontechnical, easy-to-use
format” (America’s Children, 2012, Introduction section, para. 1).

12. Citation Resources
• OWL Purdue APA Formatting Guide
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
OWL Purdue APA Formatting Guide: Electronic
Resources
• APA In-text citation PowerPoint
(Schaeffer, 2012)
• APA Reference page PowerPoint
(Schaeffer, 2012)