Accuracy:  How reliable/ dependable is it?  Is it error free?  For instance, Professional News Organizations (TV News Stations) now require 3 confirmations by reputable sources of information found on the Internet before publication.  i.e. This means they have checked their facts.  So must you.

   Authority:  Has the source been signed by the author and/or the publisher (Is it attributed) ?  Are the qualifications of the author (s) and publisher stated?  Are they (he) well known?  Reputable?  Are the qualifications adequate?  Are the author's sources also documented, well known, reliable and reputable?

   Objectivity:  Is this source an opinion?  Is there bias?  Or is the purpose of this information to sway your opinion?  Is the source trying to get you to buy something?  Is the source trying to persuade you to vote a certain way?  If it is an opinion, is the person and/or organization whose opinion it is.....are they CLEARLY  attributed?  Another caution:  If it is an opinion piece, do they only give the facts that support their view?  Are there other facts, information that would change your opinion if all the facts were clearly presented?

   Currency:  Is the source up-to-date?  Is the publication date stated and clear?  Are updates documented and dated?  Is it copyrighted?

   Coverage:  What is covered?  In what depth?  If coverage is not complete, is it what you need?
 

• The evaluation process MUST BE started from the beginning for each link, because they are probably not the same source...the author and/or publisher probably are not the same!
• If a newspaper is published in both print and non print versions, often the coverage is not the same in both formats.  Sometimes articles in the print version are not online.  Often the online version does not carry ads/classifieds, cartoons and/or the Letters to the Editor.
• Remember that different browsers/search engines present content differently or LIMIT ACCESS...THEREFORE different browsers/search engines can retrieve information completely out-of-context!!!
• Get in the habit of running these criteria through your mind when accessing sources...it will improve your selection of sources immensely...be they, CD-ROM, electronic/Internet or print.  THESE ARE GREAT GUIDELINES FOR EVALUATING ALL SOURCES, even print!