You have probably heard by now to be wary of the Web because anyone with Internet access can publish anything on the Web. This caution is even more important when you are researching an argument. When you attempt to persuade your audience, you want to know that the information you’re using is highly reliable. Nevertheless, there is good information on the Web. The Web can be a source for background information, overviews, some legal information, etc.

Here are a few tips for using the Web wisely:

Avoid personal homepages

The source of the information in personal pages is usually unknown.

The page owner’s biases may overshadow facts.

Always verify the source of the information.

Can you tie the information to a reputable magazine, newspaper, or agency?

Can you verify the information with another source?

Use well-known, reputable sources as “linkers” such as:

Bureau of Labor Statistics: http://www.bls.gov/

Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov/

National Institute of Health: http://www.nih.gov/

LexixNexis U.S. Politics and World News: http://www.lexisnexis.com/news/

Checklist for Evaluating Web Information


Author's Name

Author's Title or Position

Author's Organizational Affiliation

Author's Contact Information

Date of Page Creation or Version

Facts that compare positively with other sources

Evidence of editing

Links to or lists of the information source(s)