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LBSU 302: Information Fluency and Academic Integrity

Resources for students enrolled in LBSU 302.

Week 7: Evaluating Websites

Evaluating Websites

The following provides some of the criteria you may wish to consider. You can also apply the criteria listed in the Evaluating Sources guide which is linked below. 


Understanding Top-Level Domain Names

Most URLs include a three-letter suffix (top-level domain) that typically indicate their purpose, and there are a limited number of these domains. Although these are a good starting point for evaluation, it's important to recognize the advantages and drawbacks of each top-level domain:


Educational institution site (.edu)

Websites with a .edu domain are used for for colleges, universities, some K-12 institutions, and some independent research organizations (for example, the Brookings Institute and the Smithsonian Institute have websites that end in .edu). Exercise caution since some information may not be scholarly or intended for a college-level audience. 


Commercial site (.com)

A .com domain is typically used for businesses and other commercial operations; however, that does not mean that a website was created to make money. Many companies advertise and sell products, as well as publish annual reports and other company information for their customers, stockholders, and potential investors or clients. 


Government site (.gov)

Sites with a .gov domain are restricted to government entities, such as U.S. federal, state and local government agencies and programs. Information published on these sites include consumer information (taxes, voting), reports, regulatory information, and statistics. 


Non-profit organization site (.org)

Sites with a .org domain are typically used by non-profit and non-governmental organizations. Sites created by reputable entities, such as the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, or the World Health Organization contain valuable information. While most of these sites contain reliable information, make sure to check the credentials for the hosting entity and evaluate carefully for bias and accuracy.


Additional Resources

For more tips about evaluating sources, visit the online research guides listed below. If you need additional help, fill out the question form or make a research appointment with a librarian on the Ask A Librarian page. 

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