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Asian and Middle East Studies Resources: Internet Sites

Evaluating Internet Resources

Authority

  • Who created this web site?
  • Do they provide information on their background, experience, and credentials?
  • Is the site maintained by a well-known or reputable organization (e.g. the American Psychological Association, American Cancer Society, etc)?

Objectivity and Reliability

  • Is the coverage objective? If not, is the bias clearly stated?
  • Is the site sponsored by a commercial organization? Is it trying to sell you something?

Scope

  • Who is the intended audience? Is this site for scholarly purposes or just for fun?
  • Are both sides of an issue or topic provided?
  • What geographical area is covered?
  • What time period is covered?
  • Is this the original document or has it been edited or abridged in some way?

Currency

  • Does the web site give a date when it was last updated?
  • If so, has it been updated recently?
  • Is some of the information clearly out of date?
  • Are there many links that are broken and no longer connect to the resources listed? Broken links can be an indicator that a web site is not being updated regularly.