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Oklahoma City Community College Keith Leftwich Memorial Library

Library Research Help

Learn how to use Library resources during the research process.

Getting Started with Websites

  1. Convenient 
  2. Fast way to find information via search engines
  3. Current
  4. Information from government agencies, corporate offices, and advocacy groups
  5. Cat videos and dog shaming 

Step 1: Check the URL and domain extensions

Step 2: Perform the ABCD evaluation

Step 3: After the ABCD evaluation is performed, if the website is found to be credible, decide if the website is relevant to your topic and if you should use it. 

One of the first things to do is look at the website's URL domain ending. Domains .edu, .gov, and .org are generally thought to be the best for credible information. Just remember that .org is a domain that is no longer used by only non-profit organizations and .edu webpages can be created by students from a college or university who have no real expertise in the field they are discussing. Make sure you evaluate the website further than the domain endings.

.com  commercial business or for-profit organizations

.gov   United States government agencies

.edu   educational institutions

.mil    United States military organizations

.org    non-profit organizations

ABCDs of Website Evaluation

Check out the ABCDs definitions below or review the slide show to start familiarizing yourself with this rubric.

  • Authority
    • Who is the author? What are the author's credentials?  
    • Does the author have expertise in the area?
    • Is the author associated with a reputable organization? 
  • Bias
    • Is the information balanced? 
    • Is it more opinion than fact?
    • Is the page a presentation of facts or designed to sway opinion? 
    • Is a product, service, or idea being sold?
  • Currency
    • When was the page last updated?
    • Are any links dead?
    • Is the information consistent with your knowledge in the subject?
  • Documentation
    • Is information documented with references?
    • Are the facts given supported with evidence?
    • If statistics are provided, what is the source?
    • Is the page free of spelling mistakes or other obvious mistakes? 
ABCDs Website Evaluation by OCCCLibrary

Website Evaluation Guide

Instructions: To make this Prezi work, select the "Start Prezi" in the middle of the screen. Use the arrows to move to the next screen or go back a screen. You may make the Prezi full screen, or zoom in and out with the arrows on the right, or using the scroll button on your mouse.