Is it clear to you at a glance:

• Who wrote the page i.e. where is the information coming from? 
• What is the affiliation of the author(s), e.g., to an organisation, company or educational institution?
• If sponsorship is clearly evident on the page?

Look for an “about” or “who we are” button to find out more about the author(s).

Is it clear to you at a glance:

• That the information is correct?
• That you can easily verify the information on the website using another source?
• That the author is qualified to write about this topic?
• That references to other sources backing up the author’s claims are clearly given?

Using Google’s advanced search function to discover which websites link to this website can often be a useful indicator of the accuracy of the information found there.

Is the purpose of the website to:

• Inform you?
• Advocate a particular argument in favour of an issue?
• Sell or promote something?
• Provide you with news, or is it just someone’s personal website?

The letters at the end of a web address, or URL, will give you a clue as to the kind of site it is, e.g. .com = commercial, .edu or .ac.uk = educational.

Is it clear to you at a glance:

• That the level of detail in the information is suitable for your purpose?
• That the information on the site is well presented?
• That the information on the site increases your understanding and is not just a list of links?

Compare to other sites on the same topic to assess the quality of the coverage.

Is it clear to you at a glance:

• When the website was last updated – is there a “last created” or “last updated” date clearly visible?
• That the links provided by the author are live?
• That there are no dead links on the page, a sign that the site is checked regularly?

Read the website for references to recent dates which shows that the content is up to date.