Culinary Arts

Found a website you want to use as a resource but aren't sure it's reliable? Use these criteria:

• Currency: The time the item was written. Is the information still true? Does your topic need only the most up-to-date information or would something a few years old be acceptable?
• Accuracy: The absence of errors and use of reliable information. Is the information correct? Does the source make claims you can prove? Are there any spelling or grammatical errors?

• Authority: The qualifications of the writer. What makes him/her an expert on the topic? This can apply to both a person and an organization.

• Objectivity: The reason or reasons the item was written. To inform you about the issue? To persuade you to buy something? To entertain?

• Coverage: The information provided by the item. Does this source answer the questions I have? Does it contribute new or different information to my research paper? Does the item present just one side of an issue or a very small piece of a larger picture?

Still aren't sure a source is reliable? Ask a librarian. We can help you evaluate a website or point you toward another credible source if necessary.