Is this website reliable?
This one
Right here
The UDM Library Research Portal
How do you know if it’s reliable?
Websites can be a great source of info, but also not worth the time it takes to scroll thru it. How can you tell ?
Is it CRAP?
Currency: When was the site created and has it been reviewed or updated?
The CIA Directorate of Science and Technology indicates when it was created and when it was last updated.
Reliability: What kind of information is presented?
Is it opinion or does it list sources that can be checked?
Links should work, of course and not take you to the dreaded 404 error
Authority: Who is the creator or author? It should be clear, whether it’s an individual a corporation or a university.
There should be some way to contact the creator either by email or phone. An address is good.
What is the publisher’s interest (if any) in this information? Why was the site created? Are they trying to sell you something?
Are there advertisements on the website? This used to be clearer than it is now. In the past colorful and often intrusive ads were the mark of a personal site. But ads are what make most websites free and now prestigious medical journal websites are carrying ads for drugs, its not as definitive.
Point of View: Is this an advocacy site trying to change your mind or a governmental entity providing information to its citizens. Neither is necessarily good or bad as long as you’re aware of it.
So check out these sites: What do you think? Are they something to rely on? Are they CRAP?
And, yes, the UDM Library Research Portal is a reliable website. But you knew that.
Marilyn Dow, Librarian
