Good Quality, Credible Websites

• Websites that clearly state their purpose and identify their sponsors.
  
  
• Websites from credible sources (university, teaching, hospital, government)
  
  
• Websites that offer information based on scientific research not on opinion.
  
  
• Websites that support their facts with links or other references.
  
  
• Websites that review their information regularly and post the date the information was last updated.
  
  
• Websites that clearly indentify author's names and qualifications.
  
  
• Websites that have their information reviewed by experts (health professionals)

Poor or Misleading Websites

• Websites that contain spelling and grammatical errors.
  
  
• Websites that are overly sensational (frequent use of large red letters and lots of exclamation points)
  
  
• Websites that appeal more to the emotions rather than the mind.
  
  
• Websites that make claims that are hard to believe.
  
  
• Websites that are based on a single person's opinion.
  
  
• Websites that put forth a "conspiracy" theory.
  
  
• Websites designed to sell a product.
  
  
• Websites that discourage people from working with their healthcare professional.

Source:

Immunization Education Initiative Newsletter, VOLUME 4, ISSUE 2. November 2008