Research > Evaluating Resources : RADAR
Evaluating Resources: RADAR
Use this guide to evaluate the websites you are using for your research project.
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RELEVANCE
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AUTHORITY
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DATE
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ACCURACY
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REASON
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Relevance:
Why is this important?
The ultimate goal in evaluating websites for your research project is to ensure the information you are using is relevant for your project. When examining a website, make sure you are constantly checking whether it supports your research. |
What to look for on the website:
Questions to consider:
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Authority:
Why is this important?
When a person is willing to put their name on the website, it shows that they are willing to back up the information they have provided. When you aren't sure if you can trust the author of a website, it is a good idea to Google the author's name to find out more information about them. A website domain is used to define the type of website that it is representing. The domain can be used to identify if the website was created for educational purposes, for government, not-for-profit organisations or commercial businesses. Look at the table below for an explanation of the most common domains on the internet. Note: Some websites don't have an individual author, but instead are created by an organisation. Commercial websites are created by businesses, but are not always trying to sell you something, or persuading you of a particular opinion. |
What to look for on the website:
Questions to consider:
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Website Domain Types:
Below is a range of domain types on the internet, and the specific audiences they are created for.
Domain |
Type |
Site Type |
.com |
Commercial |
Websites created for commercial businesses |
.net |
Network-related |
Commercial sites that deal in networking or the internet itself |
.org |
Organisations |
Non-profit organisations |
.gov |
Government websites |
Websites created by local, state or national governments |
.edu |
Education websites |
Websites created by primary schools, secondary schools, universities and the education department. |
Country codes e.g. .au .ca .uk .fr |
Country-specific websites |
Websites created in specific countries for a particular audience |
Date:
Why is this important?
The date a website has been updated can play a role in whether the information it presents is reliable. Depending on the type of research you are undertaking, the timeliness of the information can be more important. For example, if you are looking for information about recent discoveries in the treatment of lung cancer you will be wanting to find up-to-date and current research. It is also important to check the links work and citations are correct to make sure the author is keeping the information as up-to-date as possible. |
What to look for on the website:
Questions to consider:
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Accuracy:
Why is this important?
When you are using websites in your research, it is important to determine if the information you are using is correct. Due to the size of the internet, there are some websites that are out of date or created with the intention to mislead or provide inaccurate information. If the information doesn't seem reliable, then there's a good chance it isn't. See our page on hoax websites and fake news for more information. |
What to look for on the website:
Questions to consider:
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Reason:
Why is this important?
Knowing the purpose behind the website's creation can help to determine if the information it provides is reliable or not. Some websites are created with the purpose to:
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What to look for on the website:
Questions to consider:
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Click HERE to download the Website Evaluation Checklist.