[Researchers] need to be able to critically evaluate a Web page for authenticity, applicability, authorship, bias, and usability. The ability to critically evaluate information is an important skill in this information age.

Historical Research

When looking for historical information on the Internet, researchers look for:

- Primary source material
- Clear documentation of sources
- Balanced interpretation of historical facts, or a clearly articulated stance that separates fact from hypotheses and from the researcher's conclusions
- A sense of the field; Evidence that the material presented was developed by those well versed in the field
- Research tools, key word searches, on-line archives, links to related research sites

Researchers evaluate the worthiness of web-delivered information by certain criteria:

- Who has done the research?
- How has it been funded, How resourced? (Gives a clue as to how in-depth the work is, and/or how balanced is the interpretation)
- Links to primary material
- Inclusion of full citations, credits, and copyright information

See Links for History Sites

Opening Quote: Kathy Schrock, Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators, 2003.

Jan Alexander and Marsha Ann Tate are recognized authorities on evaluating information on the Internet. Their advice and helpful checklists can be found in Web Wisdom: How to Evaluate and Create Information Quality on the Web, Lawrence Erbaum Associates, 1999.