1. Currency
What is the publication date or last date
updated?
Is the content timely, useful, and valid for
your information need?
2. Authorship
Who wrote the content?
What makes that individual author or
organization qualified to write it? What
other information about the author is
included?
Who sponsored the content?
3. Purpose
Is the purpose of the content to inform, to
entertain, or to promote a product or
service?
Who is the intended audience?
Does the information seem credible? If
so, can you check the information against
another resource (i.e. book, journal article,
newspaper, etc.) for credibility?
4. Objectivity
Is content biased?
Are opinions balanced or does the author
have an agenda?
How does the bias influence the
information?
5. Writing
Style
Does the information contain a
bibliography, references, or a list of
sources supporting its theme, topic, or
agenda?
Is content presented at an appropriate
level for an academic research paper?
Does the supporting information fit your
research need?
Is the work complete, or is it a summary
of other work?
