Web Page Credibility Checklist
Use this checklist as a guideline to help you decide whether an online source is reliable.
7 or more points: This is probably a reliable source; consider using it.
4-6 points: This might be a good source; try to find out more about it before using it. 3 or less: This is
probably not worth including in your sources.
URL: https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/overview-greenhouse-gases
Circle the number in the column that is the best answer Yes No/Not Sure
POSITIVES
I can identify a group or individual responsible for the content on this site. 1 0
This site is maintained by a person or organization that I know is credible outside of the 1 0
Internet
This site has been updated in the past 3 to 6 months 1 0
This site has external links to other credible websites 1 0
I know of other credible websites that link to this website 1 0
This site has a .gov or .edu suffix 1 0
- .edu site is a college or university site
This site provides a phone number or mailing address that I could use for contacting the 1 0
person or organization for more information
I have verified the information on this site using reliable offline resources 1 0
The site provides 2 or more sources and provides external links to verify information from 1 0
source
The source authors have education or experience to back up what they say 1 0
Information is backed up with evidence 1 0
The main purpose of this site is to provide facts (not opinions) 1 0
subtotal: 12
NEGATIVES
This site is clearly biased toward a specific opinion or point of view -1 0
This site contains many misspellings and/or broken links -1 0
Information is not backed up with evidence and is merely stated -1 0
The main purpose of this site is to sell a product or service -1 0
This site has no external links -1 0
This site has potential conflict of interests: Financial, Emotional, Political, Professional, -1 0
Religious, Safety
final total: 12
Would you use this as a credible source? Why or why not?
I would use this as a credible source because it passes all the reliability checklists which
the final score of 12.
URL: http://www.cowspiracy.com/fact
Circle the number in the column that is the best answer Yes No/Not Sure
POSITIVES
I can identify a group or individual responsible for the content on this site. 1 0
This site is maintained by a person or organization that I know is credible outside of the 1 0
Internet
This site has been updated in the past 3 to 6 months 1 0
This site has external links to other credible websites 1 0
I know of other credible websites that link to this website 1 0
This site has a .gov or .edu suffix 1 0
- .edu site is a college or university site
This site provides a phone number or mailing address that I could use for contacting the 1 0
person or organization for more information
I have verified the information on this site using reliable offline resources 1 0
The site provides 2 or more sources and provides external links to verify information from 1 0
source
The source authors have education or experience to back up what they say 1 0
Information is backed up with evidence 1 0
The main purpose of this site is to provide facts (not opinions) 1 0
subtotal: 11
NEGATIVES
This site is clearly biased toward a specific opinion or point of view -1 0
This site contains many misspellings and/or broken links -1 0
Information is not backed up with evidence and is merely stated -1 0
The main purpose of this site is to sell a product or service -1 0
This site has no external links -1 0
This site has potential conflict of interests: Financial, Emotional, Political, Professional, -1 0
Religious, Safety
final total: 11
Would you use this as a credible source? Why or why not?
I would use this as a credible source because it has more facts than their opinion although
the domain is .com .
URL:http://www.planetexperts.com/how-much-does-agriculture-contribute-to-global-warming/
Circle the number in the column that is the best answer Yes No/Not Sure
POSITIVES
I can identify a group or individual responsible for the content on this site. 1 0
This site is maintained by a person or organization that I know is credible outside of the Internet 1 0
This site has been updated in the past 3 to 6 months 1 0
This site has external links to other credible websites 1 0
I know of other credible websites that link to this website 1 0
This site has a .gov or .edu suffix 1 0
- .edu site is a college or university site
This site provides a phone number or mailing address that I could use for contacting the person 1 0
or organization for more information
I have verified the information on this site using reliable offline resources 1 0
The site provides 2 or more sources and provides external links to verify information from 1 0
source
The source authors have education or experience to back up what they say 1 0
Information is backed up with evidence 1 0
The main purpose of this site is to provide facts (not opinions) 1 0
subtotal: 10
NEGATIVES
This site is clearly biased toward a specific opinion or point of view -1 0
This site contains many misspellings and/or broken links -1 0
Information is not backed up with evidence and is merely stated -1 0
The main purpose of this site is to sell a product or service -1 0
This site has no external links -1 0
This site has potential conflict of interests: Financial, Emotional, Political, Professional, -1 0
Religious, Safety
final total: 10
Would you use this as a credible source? Why or why not?
I would use this website as a credible source because most of the evidence comes from the site
that has domain .gov which means that it’s a reliable source.
URL:https://www.wri.org/blog/2014/05/everything-you-need-know-about-agricultural-emission
s
Circle the number in the column that is the best answer Yes No/Not Sure
POSITIVES
I can identify a group or individual responsible for the content on this site. 1 0
This site is maintained by a person or organization that I know is credible outside of the Internet 1 0
This site has been updated in the past 3 to 6 months 1 0
This site has external links to other credible websites 1 0
I know of other credible websites that link to this website 1 0
This site has a .gov or .edu suffix 1 0
- .edu site is a college or university site
This site provides a phone number or mailing address that I could use for contacting the person 1 0
or organization for more information
I have verified the information on this site using reliable offline resources 1 0
The site provides 2 or more sources and provides external links to verify information from source 1 0
The source authors have education or experience to back up what they say 1 0
Information is backed up with evidence 1 0
The main purpose of this site is to provide facts (not opinions) 1 0
subtotal: 11
NEGATIVES
This site is clearly biased toward a specific opinion or point of view -1 0
This site contains many misspellings and/or broken links -1 0
Information is not backed up with evidence and is merely stated -1 0
The main purpose of this site is to sell a product or service -1 0
This site has no external links -1 0
This site has potential conflict of interests: Financial, Emotional, Political, Professional, -1 0
Religious, Safety
final total: 11
Would you use this as a credible source? Why or why not?
Yes, I would because The site provides 2 or more sources and provides external links to
verify information from the source, the Information is backed up with evidence and
the main purpose of this site is to provide facts.
URL:http://www.agr.gc.ca/eng/science-and-innovation/agricultural-practices/climate-chan
ge-and-agriculture/greenhouse-gases/?id=1329321969842
Circle the number in the column that is the best answer Yes No/Not Sure
POSITIVES
I can identify a group or individual responsible for the content on this site. 1 0
This site is maintained by a person or organization that I know is credible outside of the 1 0
Internet
This site has been updated in the past 3 to 6 months 1 0
This site has external links to other credible websites 1 0
I know of other credible websites that link to this website 1 0
This site has a .gov or .edu suffix 1 0
- .edu site is a college or university site
This site provides a phone number or mailing address that I could use for contacting the 1 0
person or organization for more information
I have verified the information on this site using reliable offline resources 1 0
The site provides 2 or more sources and provides external links to verify information from 1 0
source
The source authors have education or experience to back up what they say 1 0
Information is backed up with evidence 1 0
The main purpose of this site is to provide facts (not opinions) 1 0
subtotal: 12
NEGATIVES
This site is clearly biased toward a specific opinion or point of view -1 0
This site contains many misspellings and/or broken links -1 0
Information is not backed up with evidence and is merely stated -1 0
The main purpose of this site is to sell a product or service -1 0
This site has no external links -1 0
This site has potential conflict of interests: Financial, Emotional, Political, Professional, -1 0
Religious, Safety
final total: 12
Would you use this as a credible source? Why or why not?
I would use this as a credible source because this site is published by the government
of Canada which can be considered a reliable source by almost 100%.
