In the beginning... Want to know more about how the Web got started? Check out these links.

For now let's concentrate on the information found on Web sites ? How do you determine accuracy, currency, technical, reliability - Author/source, purpose, coverage, accuracy, objectivity, currency

The author can be one person or a committee. They are responsible for the content of the Web site. Sometimes authors also design the site.

What's In a URL? Want to know more about what a URL is and how they work?

The publisher distributes the authors work, just as we see in the book-publishing world. The publisher is the owner and operator of the server of the Web site. On this campus "ua.edu" in the URL identifies the publisher as the University of Alabama.

If the author does not design the Web site, then either a software programmer or the webmaster will design the site. This person adds the content written by the author. The webmaster also maintains the Web site after publication.

Is the author or source of the information you are interested in identified on the Web site and what are his/her qualifications? Is he, she, or the authoring institution a qualified authority on the subject? Look for authors at the bottom of the first page or in "About Us" or "Contact Us" links. Some Web sites prominently display the author's name with the title of the Web site.

The URL can supply you with some information. What domain extension or top domain is being used - educational, nonprofit, commercial, etc? Is the domain name appropriate for the content of the site? Is there a tilde after the first backward slash to indicate the site is a personal homepage? Truncate the URL at each backward slash starting at the right. Each level of the URL is a possible source of information about the site's author. Is the server a commercial ISP or other provider of web page hosting (like aol.com or geocities.com)?

Rules and standards for footnoting and citing references (i.e. sources of factual information are still lacking on the web. If you don't find the source listed on the site, then either find it or do not use the information.

If you are knowledgeable in your field, the use a search engine to see who links to the page. If the link is to reputable site, then see what these sites have to say about the page in question.

Check to see if any of the factual information presented has been referenced (i.e. the source of the information provided). Can you find another independent (the two sources you check do not derive from a common source) source to verify the information presented?

Make sure any charts, diagrams, graphs presented are clearly and completely labeled?

Misspellings, typographical errors, poor grammar, slang terms are an indication the information may not reliable. The presence of these errors can even cause misinterpretation of the information presented.

Sometimes personal opinion is presented as fact. Can you tell the difference?

What is the purpose of the site? Is it to inform, explain, persuade or sell? Take into consideration the site may also be a parody - ironic, a satire or a spoof.

Determine the sponsors of the site and advertisers. Look for "About Us" links to find a mission statement, philosophy, list of sponsors, advertisers, linking guidelines, and even a list of the people responsible for the Web site's content.

Is the information presented with a minimum of personal bias? Is the information balanced or are links provided to opposing views? Do you know any alternative viewpoints?

Are YOU being objective? Does something on the site "turn you off" because of your own philosophy and this is biasing your decision? Or are you viewing the site favorably because you want to finish that paper quickly?

You will see some sites under reconstruction. Be wary of them.

Determine how comprehensive the coverage is of your subject. Are there any glaring omissions?

Determine how relevant the information is for your needs. Does it have the engineering details you need? A Web site assembled by grammar or high school students may not have the technical information required of engineering professionals.

Some sites providing information for engineers are electronic versions of printed information. Can you determine whether the entire work is available or just specific sections?

When was the site/page first placed on the Web or copyrighted? Sometimes only one year will be listed, but increasingly sites are displaying a range of years: the first year the site was copyrighted followed by the last year it was copyrighted. If the last year is recent, then you know the site is being maintained.

When was the site/page last revised? If the copyright date was five years ago and the site was last updated a month ago, then you know the site is being maintained. Check individual pages for information about updates. Does the page(s) you need have a date and is it recent. Not all sites provide information about updates.

If the site doesn't show the last time that it was updated, then see if the links still function.

Just because the date is recent doesn't mean the content is recent. The updating may have been to enhance the physical appearance of the site. Determine if the content is up-to-date. Information presented in graphs or charts should clearly state when the data was collected.