Lesson 5:
Evaluating Resources

Objectives

Evaluate Books

Evaluate Articles

Evaluate Web Sites

Select Useful Information

Resources

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Evaluating Web Sites

Evaluating Web Sites

Of all the resources you encounter during the research process, web sites are the most important to evaluate. Why? Anyone can post anything to the web, and making a web page look professional is easy.

Unless you evaluate web sites, you could unwittingly cite a web site that presents a 7th grade school report, a commercial marketing ploy, or one of a growing number of "spoofs"--like the web site that lists the benefits of velcro farming or the one that warns against a new dangerous chemical: water.

Exercise: Choose your favorite website to evaluate as you go through this section.

Note: Not all instructors allow students to use websites as resources for their papers. If you have any questions, check with your instructor first!