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

Credibility

Accuracy

Doestheinformationonthesiteagreewithothersources?
Doesthesitecontradictitself?
Whatisthedateofpublicationorcopyright?
Howrecentlyhasthesitebeenupdated?

Reasonableness

Goal:Asourcethatistruthfulandunbiased

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

Support

Goal:Asourcewithinformationthatiscurrent,complete,andcorrect

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