Research Guides: Women's Studies and Gender Relations: Find Websites

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5 keys to Website evaluation

THE CRAAP GUIDE TO EVALUATING WEBSITES AND ONLINE RESOURCES

You can't believe everything you read, see or hear! Use this checklist to select the best.

Currency

Is the publication date noted?
Is the information/publication date current for your topic?
Has the website been recently updated?
Are the links still active and useful?
How old is the information being given? Is the information outdated?
How old is the information being cited/referenced in the resource compared to the publication date of the source?

Relevancy

Does the information relate to your research topic. Does it answer the questions you are asking?
Who is the intended audience? Is it meant for the general public? Children? Academics?
Is the level of information appropriate for you?
Is this the best resource out there? Have you looked for other sources?

Authority

Who is the author and what are their credentials? (Credentials = Are they an expert who works within the field OR an individual with a PhD or higher education on the subject OR are they an academic with affiliations to reputable institutions?)
Are there any organizational affiliations that may create bias?
Look at the domain name what doe it tell you?

      .ca - Canadian based website
      .gc.ca – Canadian federal government site
      .bc.ca – British Columbia provincial government site
      .gov – U.S. government site
      .edu – U.S. educational institution
      .com/.net/.org – no longer serve any distinction, anyone can get any of them for a fee.

Accuracy

Can you tell where the information comes from? Are resources cited? What type of resources are cited?
Is the information factual and can it be verified?
Are there grammatical errors or typos?
Has the source been reviewed by experts in the field?
Is it biased? Does the writer have a calm tone?
Does other material that you have found for your research support their claims?

Purpose

Who is the intended audience? General public, children, academics etc.
Why was the site created? For education, informational, to persuade or sell something?
Is it fact, opinion, or propaganda?
Is the purpose/mission/goals clearly stated on the site?
Are there advertisements? If so why are they there and what are they selling?
Is the information presented impartial and objective?

Websites

Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children
The Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children (CREVAWC) was founded in 1992 as a collaborative venture between The University of Western Ontario, Fanshawe College and the London Coordinating Committee to End Women Abuse (a large organization comprised of violence against women service providers).The Centre was established in response to a federal study on the problem of violence against women, triggered by the 1989 murder of 14 women at École Polytechnique in Montreal.
WomenWatch
Womenwatch is the central gateway to information and resources on the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women throughout the United Nations system. The portal contains a directory of resources on selected topics in women's studies.
Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF)
The Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF is dedicated to women's equality, reproductive health, and non-violence. FMF utilizes research and action to empower women economically, socially, and politically. FMF organization believes that feminists - both women and men, girls and boys - are the majority, but this majority must be empowered.
Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women
CRIAW is the only women’s organization in Canada focused exclusively on nurturing feminist research and making it accessible for public advocacy and education. All CRIAW activities flow from an overarching goal to provide tools to help organizations taking action to advance social justice and equality for all women.
Gender & Work Database
The Gender & Work Database (GWD) is an online research tool designed for both researchers and students with varying levels of expertise. The database is informed by a feminist political economy approach and provides resources that facilitate research on gender and work.