How do you check an unfamiliar website that describes itself as authoritative?
Leave its own introduction and look for checkable records of its authors, institution and work. Keep self-description separate from external evidence. A polished layout does not establish reliability.
Check the background in another tab
- Record the complete site and author names.
- Look for descriptions from independent institutions.
- Identify original work. If a site calls itself a research centre, check its authors, publications and affiliations instead of counting logos on its homepage.
Return to the particular claim
Even a verifiable background does not establish every statement. Inspect the evidence for the sentence you intend to use. If external information is limited, say so without concluding that something must be wrong. Multiple copies of one press release are not independent confirmations. Keep the source trail so the judgement can be revisited when better information appears.
A worksheet you can use
Self-description: __. External record: __. Independent source: __. Original work: __. Claim to check: __. Current assessment: __.
Can a small personal website still be useful?
Yes, as clearly identified personal experience. Independently check claims that require stronger evidence.
Evidence and scope
This process evaluates public information; it is not a security scan or a personal background investigation.
DIG introduces checking beyond a website. This is not a lesson translation. Digital Inquiry Group — Teaching Lateral Reading
Sources and further reading
This collection in Chinese and English · Life possibilities library