Summary: As in all things, judging whether a website is credible or not requires good judgment, and a manner in which to determine that credibility. One of the best ways to begin such a process is by checking to see if the author states who they are and offers a way to be contacted. This is useful because if you do not believe the article is true, you can research their name to determine if the person is a reputable expert in their field. Also, assess the entirety of the site to look for discrepancies. If there is one error, there are most likely more. Determine if the information is accurate and logical. If the presented data is whimsical and illogical, it is most likely not true. There is, however, a chance that they are still right, no matter how insane the suggestion, so it is a good idea to examine their source information very closely if the theory seems unreasonable. The fourth step is to compare the site's appearance to its subject. If the graphics are whimsical on a serious subject, you should question the information presented. Most authors wouldn't make light of their subject if they wished to be taken seriously. Next, one must check the site to see if the author gives his research data and lists his sources. This is useful if, as I stated before, the site's statements seem odd or unreasonable. Also, it helps to know if the author has based their work on others and has not just pulled the information out of their own mind. If the author gives statistics, the author would credit his sources. Another thing to watch for is typos. If there is an unusual amount of misspellings or grammatical errors, it is reasonable to assume that the author is a moron who can't even spell right, much less be an expert on something. Of course, a couple of typos are acceptable, but question it if the document is full of poor grammar and typos. If the site is run by a credible author, they will most likely feel passionately about the subject and will encourage you to learn more.
