Evaluating Websites
The Internet contains an abundance of information. So much information that it can be overwhelming. With all this information available it's important to be able to tell which websites are trustworthy. Below are some things you can look for when determining a site's trustworthiness.
- Who is the author? What their credentials and are they qualified to discuss the subject?
- How current is the information? On what date was the website last updated? Older information may no longer be accurate.
- What is their point of view? What type of bias are they portraying? Every one has a bias/point of view but it's important to investigate both sides.
- How accurate is the information? Can what is being presented by the author(s) be verified? Are there spelling, grammar, or typographical errors? This may require comparing other sources.
- Who is the audience?
- What domain is being used? Domains that contain '.gov' or '.edu' tend to be more reliable than those with '.com' or '.net.' This is not to say '.coms' or '.nets' are always unreliable.
If you are still unsure, you can ask a librarian or your instructor whether or not a source is reliable.
Recommended Websites
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Library of Congress Digital CollectionsCurated by the Library of Congress, this site contains digital collections about a variety of topics in both world and American history.
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Chronicling AmericaMaintained by the Library of Congress, this site contains digitized copies of American newspapers.
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Documenting the American SouthSponsored by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's University Library, Documenting the American South is "a digital publishing initiative that provides Internet access to texts, images, and audio files related to southern history, literature, and culture. Currently DocSouth includes sixteen thematic collections of books, diaries, posters, artifacts, letters, oral history interviews, and songs."
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EuroDocsPrimary historical documents from Western Europe. Organized by country and by time periods.
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History MattersA great resource for both students and teachers. Houses primary documents, teaching resources, and guides on how to analyze historical information.
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National ArchivesCharged with protecting and preserving historically and legally important documents of the United States, The National Archives holdings include the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and naturalization records as well as many others.
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Encyclopedia of ArkansasThe Encyclopedia of Arkansas is an excellent guide to the state of Arkansas, curated by the Central Arkansas Library System.
