5.2 The R.E.A.L. Technique for Website Validation

In this lesson you will learn how to look at a website critically in order to determine it's usefulness.

The R.E.A.L. technique for website evaluation requires you to look critically at different areas of a website to judge whether or not it is valid and useful for your research. 

"R" stands for "Read the URL," which means to look at the site's web address.  Notice whether the address ends in .com (short for commercial), .edu (short for education), .gov (short for government) and so on.  Knowing what kind of site you are looking at will help you to know if you can rely on the information that's there.

"E" stands for "Examine the Site's Content," which means to read a little bit of the information provided.  You should see if what you are reading matches with what you already know about your topic.

 "A" stands for "Ask about the Author/ Publisher," which means to find out who is responsible for writing or publishing what's on the site.  If you are looking for information to use for your research, you want to be sure it comes from an expert.  You can usually find an "about us" link or tab that will tell you more about the author or publisher.

"L" stands for "Look at the Links," which means try out some of the links provided by the website you are looking at and see if those links are in working order and if they take you to other credible sites. 

In your own words, write a few sentences about what to look for when you are evaluating a website's validity and usefulness.