Information from websites can be very easy to find. Due to the nature of the web, it is very important to evaluate anything that you find before including it in an assignment or essay.
Anyone can author or publish material on a website. No quality control process is required.
This doesn't mean that you shouldn't use information from websites just that you need to apply evaluation criteria to ensure you are using reliable, quality information
Authority - What type of site is it? Who authored the content? What is their expertise? What is the intended audience?
Accuracy - How has the author demonstrated accuracy of their information? What evidence is presented? Does the site reference other sources?
Currency - When was the last time the site was updated? Does the information presented have a "published" date?
It is important that you know how to check that the information you are using to complete assessment tasks is authoritative, accurate, current and relevant to your assessment requirements.
Evaluate information from books, journal articles or websites using each of the criteria listed below:
Authority: Who is the author or creator of the information and what are their credentials?
Accuracy: Is the information accurate?
Currency: How up to date is the information?
Relevance: Will the information be useful for your assessment?