Non-Western History Online: Find Websites

Evaluating Sources

When evaluating ANY source use the 5w's questions to guide you through the process. You want to find sources that are fair, accurate, unbiased, current, and published by a reliable person/organization.

Who - Who produced the information? What are the author's credentials? Who maintains/owns the webpage?

What - What is the format of the source? Is the source stylistically consistent (font, spacing, etc.)? Are there numerous sponsored advertisements?

When - When was the webpage last updated? Does the webpage, book, article have a publication/copyright date? Is the information current enough for your topic?

Where - Where does the information come from? Does the webpage cite or link to its sources? Are those sources from reliable or reputable authors or institutions? Does the source have a works cited page or bibliography?

Why - Who is the intended audience? What is the purpose of the information? Does the information rely upon facts or opinions? Can you determine a possible bias?

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