Evaluating Websites, the PACAC method

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Evaluating WebsitesFound a website you want to use as a resource but aren't sure it’s reliable? Try the PACAC method (adapted from The College Student’s Research Companion, 5^th ed., by Arlene Quaratiello with Julie Devine):

• Purpose: The reason or reasons the item was written. To inform you about the issue? To persuade you to buy something? To entertain?
•  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.
• Currency: The time when 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?
• Content: The information provided by the item. Does the source answer the questions you have? Does it contribute new or different information to your research paper?