Exercise and Sport Science: Websites

Use this ABC evaluation checklist when searching for information on the Internet.

Authority

Is the information from a reliable source? Does the author have appropriate qualifications, background and knowledge of the subject? Where is the document published and who published it? Check the accuracy - how does the site compare to other sources?

Check the website address (URL = Uniform Resource Locator) to verify the origin of the site:

• .govt or .gov = Government
• .org = non-profit organisation
• .co or .com = commercial
• .ac or .edu = academic/educational

Bias

Why do you think the information was written? What opinions, if any, are expressed by the author? Does it provide a balanced view of the topic or is there an obvious bias promoted by the publisher or author? Who is the intended audience? Where is the document published?

Currency

When was the information written or recorded? Is the information up-to-date for the topic? Are the site links up-to-date, are they relevant and do they work?

New Zealand websites

International websites