Does the author have the expertise to write on this topic?
 

Unlike most print sources, it can be difficult to determine the author of a Web page. Sometimes the author's name is hidden or it is on another page of the same site. Web pages may be authored by a company or organization, instead of an individual. If you can't find the author of the page, that source might not be appropriate for academic research.

 

Since anyone can publish on the Web, it is crucial to determine if the author has the background, education or experience to make them an authority on the topic.

  • Check the header and footer on the home page to see if information about the author is included.
  • Look for an affiliation with a company or university. Search the Web site of that organization to confirm the author's affiliation.
  • Use the library catalog or a periodical index to see if the author has written any books or articles on the topic.
  • Enter the author's name into a search engine to find biographical information about the author on other Web pages.
  • Use a reference source at your library, such as Who's Who, to find biographical information.