Research and Course Guides: PSC 321: International Relations: Websites

Website Evaluation Criteria

Almost anyone can have a web page. So some information on the Web is biased, undocumented, or just plain wrong. You will need to evaluate web sites for accuracy, audience, authority, currency, objectivity, and purpose. Here is a checklist you can use:

Accuracy:

Does the author cite reliable sources for his or her facts?
How does the information compare with that in other works written about this topic?

Audience:

Who do you think the author/s of the web site are trying to reach?
Is there a particular group or segment of society that the author/s are targeting?

Authority:

What are the author's qualifications for writing on this subject?
Is he or she connected with an organization that has an established reputation?

Currency:

Does the web site include a publication date or "last updated" date?

Objectivity:

Is the author affiliated with a particular organization that might have a bias?

Purpose:

Is the author's purpose to inform, e.g. provide new information, current events, etc?
Is the author's purpose to explain, e.g. describe a process, teach, etc?
Is the author's purpose to persuade, e.g. change your mind, convince you to buy, etc?

Suggested Sites

CIA World Factbook
Compiled by the Central Intelligence Agency, this is one of the most detailed and authoritative collections of country profiles. A handy reference work with information about the demographics, infrastructure, economy, government, and military of every country in the world. Includes maps and photos.
GlobaLex
-information about international, comparative and foreign law.
Human Rights Watch | Defending Human Rights Worldwide
-dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world.
NATO
-official website of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), an alliance of 28 countries from North America and Europe.
OFFSTATS - The University of Auckland Library
-provides access to free statistics from official sources on the web. Some specialised databases are only available to the University of Auckland staff and students.
UNdata
-numerous databases, tables and glossaries containing over 60 million data points cover a wide range of themes including Agriculture, Crime, Education, Employment, Energy, Environment, Health, HIV/AIDS, Human Development, Industry, Information and Communication Technology, National Accounts, Population, Refugees, Tourism, Trade, as well as the Millennium Development Goals indicators.
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
-works to create the conditions for dialogue among civilizations, cultures and peoples, based upon respect for commonly shared values.
United Nations: It's Your World
-an international organization founded in 1945 after the Second World War by 51 countries committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights.
WHO | World Health Organization
-responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.
World Bank Group
-source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world whose mission is to fight poverty with passion and professionalism for lasting results and to help people help themselves and their environment by providing resources, sharing knowledge, building capacity and forging partnerships in the public and private sectors.
World Digital Library
-makes available on the Internet, free of charge and in multilingual format, significant primary materials from countries and cultures around the world.
World Trade Organization
-a global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations.