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Library Resources for Criminal Justice Capstone: Finding Criminal Justice Information Online

This guide is designed to connect students in P470, the criminal justice capstone course, with relevant library resources for their research.

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?

Criminal Justice Information Websites