The C.A.R.S.

Checklist for Evaluating Internet Sources

You should evaluate every web site you use for research or for personal information. The CARS checklist for evaluating internet sources is listed below. Ask yourself the following questions about each site and try to use only those that have the best evidence of credibility,accuracy,reasonableness,andsupport. FormoredetailedinformationonusingtheCARSchecklist,see:

http://www.virtualsalt.com/evalu8it.htm

Credibility

Goal:Asourcethatiscreatedbyapersonororganizationwhoknows thesubjectandwhocaresaboutitsquality Isthereapublishingorsponsoringorganization?Istheorganizationanauthorityonthesubject? Istheauthorlisted? Istheauthoranauthorityonthesubject?Howdoyouknow? Aretherespellingerrors,grammarerrors,deadlinks,orotherproblemsthatindicatealackof qualitycontrol? Goal:Asourcewithinformationthatiscurrent,complete,andcorrect

Accuracy

Doestheinformationonthesiteagreewithothersources? Doesthesitecontradictitself? Whatisthedateofpublicationorcopyright? Howrecentlyhasthesitebeenupdated? Goal:Asourcethatistruthfulandunbiased

Reasonableness

Doestheauthor,host,publisher,orsponsorhaveabias? Whatisthemotivationorpurposeforcreatingthesite? (Tosellaproduct?Toadvanceaviewpointorbelief?Toeducate?)

Support

Goal:Asourcewithverifiablesourcesofinformation

Arethesourceslisted?Cantheybechecked? Isthereawaytocontacttheauthorororganization?

Where should you look to find this information?

Ideally,informationsuchastheauthor,hostorganization,andpublicationdatewillbeeasilylocatedat eitherthetoporbottomofthepage.However,youmayneedtodigdeeper: YoucanfindoutaboutthehostorganizationbylookingattheURL,especiallythedomainname (i.e.,cnn.com,harvard.edu,cdc.gov).Therearenouniversalrulesforwhichdomainsaregood orbad,butthedomainnamecanhelpyouidentifythehostorganization. Theinformationyouneedmightevenbeonadifferentpage.TryclickingonAboutor ContactUstofindmoreinformation.Youcanalsojustenterthedomainnamewithout anythingpastthefirstslash(i.e.,shortenvirtualsalt.com/evalu8it.htmtovirtualsalt.com)and seewhatinformationyoufind. Tip:Savesomeworkbycreatingyourbibliographiccitationwhileyouevaluate.Manyoftheelements youneedtociteawebpageinMLAStyle(author,publisher,date,etc.)arethesameonesyouneedto evaluateitsquality.Ifmorethanafewofthesearemissing,thesiteisprobablynotagoodone!

Adapted with permission from: Harris, Robert. "Evaluating Internet Research Sources." http://www.virtualsalt.com/evalu8it.htm
2007,RobertHarris&AndrewSpinks Duplicatefreelyfornonprofiteducationaluse. Formoreresearchhelp,seewww.virtualsalt.comandwww.andyspinks.com