Methods in Ecology & Evolution: Internet resources

Questions to ask about the site's author

• Can you identify the author of the site (either an individual or an organization)?
• Is the author an expert on this topic?
• Is the author's primary purpose to provide scholarly information?
• Is the author's primary purpose to sell a product or service?
• Is the author's point of view unbiased?
• Where does the site come form? Look at the URL - is it .edu for an educational site, .gov for government, .com for commercial, etc?

Questions to ask about the site's content

• Are there any obvious errors or misinformation?
• Does the information appear to be accurate?
• Can the information be verified through another source?
• Is the information current? (Is there a date for the last update on the page?)
• Is the information scholarly in nature? Is documentation provided?
• Are the links useful?
• Are the links active?

Questions to ask about how the site is organized

• Is there a table of contents?
• Is the site easy to navigate?
• Do the graphics enhance or interfere with the usefulness of the site?

Why not just search or  WIKIPEDIA?  Michael Scott explains it all:

These sites provide links to web sites that have been critically evaluated and selected for their value as information, reference and research tools.