HOW do you decide if a website is right for your needs?  Here's a chart which might help you figure that out:

Find the Right Site for Your Research Become a Discerning Reader Beverly Meier LIB740; Thomas Nixon
There are numerous aspects to consider when you are selecting sources for your research.Some aspects are simple and obvious; others are complex and require great thought. This chart is thorough and includes both types.  Learn to become The Discerning Reader!
Points & Purposes	Authority	Accuracy	Objectivity	Currency	Coverage
WHO	Does the page include an author’s biography and his/her email address? Is the author a valid authority on the subject covered by the piece? What are the author’s credentials? Has the author conducted or participated in any studies—pertinent to the piece, or not? Does the author have a website? What else has the author written? What kind of fame does the author possess? Who publishes the website? Who does the author quote, and is the cited person an authority? Through which search engine was the piece accessed? Have the author or the piece earned any scholarly awards or reviews?	What known authorities agree/disagree with the information of the piece? Do other works of the author conflict with the piece? Does the information in the piece agree with that shared in the works of other authorities on the same subject?	What can the author gain through the article? Does the author have a determinable prejudice or financial interest in the subject? Does the author represent any known group? Does the website publisher have anything to gain by presenting the article/piece? Who sponsored the piece? Does the piece’s information represent any group? Which? Who does the author cite, and does the cited person have any pertinent bias? Was the author of the piece an active participant in any event or study mentioned in the piece?	Is the author of the piece still living? Are other members who are involved in any events/activities in the piece still living?	Can the piece be discovered through more than one search engine/which? At what position on the search engine’s web page was the piece located (i.e., was the article the first item offered, the fifth, on the second page, etc.)? Is the work cited by others? If yes, by whom is the piece cited and for what purpose? Who/what does the piece cite? Are there advertisements on the webpage?  If yes, what products are advertised, and where are the advertisements located in relation to the piece and other advertisements? Do you need a password/membership to access the piece?
	Authority	Accuracy	Objectivity	Currency	Coverage
WHAT	Are accompanying graphics easy to read and comprehend? Do all graphics have a clear purpose? Does the piece include a bibliography? Is the author effective? Are there clerical errors in the piece?	Is information from cited works presented accurately? Is information from other works presented in the same format as in the cited material (ex., from chart to chart or from chart to paragraph)? Can you locate cited works in order to check for accuracy? Is the piece’s information complete? Is it possible to check any quotes presented to determine if they are utilized out of context? Does the piece include information that you know is incorrect?	Does the pieces title match the work? Have all sides of the subject been presented? Are statistics/data presented in a fair, clear manner? Is the thesis presented in a clear manner? Is more than one side the piece’s issue presented? Does the piece make sense? Is the verbiage of the piece intended to produce an emotional response?  Does the author use over-generalizations or simplifications? Does the piece utilize easy-to-follow logic? Does the piece suit your purpose/answer your questions? Is the piece written to suit the researcher’s abilities? Did the piece lead you to other sources?	What is the date of the development of the article? What is the date of the most recent edition?  What is the date of the piece’s presentation on the webpage? Is the article current? Is the information current? Do any Internet links work?	Is the piece visually well-presented? Is the website well-presented and easy to follow? Is the piece linked to other sites?  If it is, to what other sites is the piece linked?
	Authority	Accuracy	Objectivity	Currency	Coverage
WHERE	Was the piece produced in a country in which the author might have unique and greater access to knowledge of the subject?  At what type of domain is the piece located (i.e., .com, .org, .gov, .edu, .us, from other nations)?	Was the piece produced in a country with specific, known agendas/biases? Is the website publisher located in a country with a specific, known agenda?	Was the piece produced in a country with constraints placed upon publications? Is the website publisher located in a country with constraints placed upon publications?		Was the piece produced in a country with specific, known agendas and constraints? Due to country of origin, is the website publisher presenting information at possible personal risk? Does the piece suit the website? Is the website well-maintained?
	Authority	Accuracy	Objectivity	Currency	Coverage
WHEN	How recent in time to events covered in the work was the piece written?	Does the author have particular knowledge of the subject due to involvement in events covered in the piece? Is presented material time-sensitive?	Was the author involved in events covered in the piece?	Was the piece written during the events of the period discussed?	Is the piece a first edition, or a revised edition?  If the piece has been revised, what changes were made since the original publication?  If the piece has been revised, why did the revision occur?
	Authority	Accuracy	Objectivity	Currency	Coverage
WHY			What is the stated purpose of the piece?   Does the piece remain true to its stated purpose? What might be any other apparent purpose of the piece?	Why was the piece written at the time it was written?	What purpose might the website have for presenting the piece? What purpose might the website have for presenting the piece at the time it was presented?
	Authority	Accuracy	Objectivity	Currency	Coverage
HOW	Are the author’s credentials presented, or must you seek them out? Is the piece peer-reviewed?	What research is acknowledged by the author of the piece?	What type of piece is being presented (ex., opinion, news, etc.)?  On what “page” of the website is the piece presented (ex., on an editorial page, a comic page, etc.)? Where on the webpage is the piece located?		On what kind of website is the piece presented (ex., news, satire, etc.)? Is the piece advertised at other locations on the website—or elsewhere on the Internet? Is reader feedback associated with the piece? What surrounds the piece? What advertisements are located near the piece? Is the piece also published in print? Are any downloads required to access the piece?