RESEARCH HELP
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EVALUATING WEBSITES
WEBSITE/URL SUFFIX LIST
You can use the end, or suffix, of a domain name to help you judge the validity of the information and identify the potential bias of a website. This strategy is a guideline as people or organizations may purchase domains that do not necessarily reflect their actual purpose.
.ac -- Academic Institution (generally outside the U.S.)
.aeroa -- site from the aviation community
.biz -- Business/Company, usually with a country code
.com -- Commercial (commercial sites may vary in their credibility)
.coopa -- cooperative educational organization (colleges and universities)
.gov -- government agency
.int -- international institution
.k12 -- Most U.S. high schools
.mil -- Military (U.S.)
.name -- Individual internet user
.net -- originally for networked service provider but now anyone can register
.org -- Organization, often a nonprofit
TIPS FOR ESTABLISHING CREDIBILITY
Perform a link check. Use a search engine such as Google to see other sites that are linked to the site you are evaluating.
Type: link:http://siteaddress.
To find the owner of a site, go to http://www.easywhois.com and type the URL for the website you are using.
Check the history of a website by using the Wayback Machine. Go to http://www.archive.org Type in the URL and click on the Take Me Back button.
Type: link:http://siteaddress.
To find the owner of a site, go to http://www.easywhois.com and type the URL for the website you are using.
Check the history of a website by using the Wayback Machine. Go to http://www.archive.org Type in the URL and click on the Take Me Back button.