ENGL 1113 English Composition (TCC): Online Resources

It's important to remember that publishing on the web is very easy - almost anyone can do it! The problem with that is knowing what's credible (worth your time) and what's not. 

There are five main criteria that I use when evaluating a website:

• Accuracy
• Authority
• Currency
• Objectivity
• Coverage

Some of the things you want to look at or for in a website include:

• the URL (.gov, .mil, .us, .edu are usually pretty credible); 
• links to information about the author or sponsoring organization; 
• links to other sites that are credible; 
• the currency of the page (is it updated regularly?);
• no broken links.

Ultimately the researcher must be the one to determine whether or not to use information found on a website. Below are a couple of links to websites that provide some excellent guidelines for evaluating resources and websites:

English and Writing-Related Links

Open Access Journals

Associations

Other:

• Online College Courses -- a database of open courseware from the nation’s leading universities. Unlike other platforms, our design allows anyone interested in these courses to create their own course list and track their personal progress. Our site provides students with access to free, high-quality, college-level classes, across many subjects giving them the opportunity to explore different areas of study as well as supplementing their education.  (Resources are courtesy of and made by the people behind OnlineCourses.com project.)