Final answer:
The website's title is the least useful feature for assessing website reliability as it does not provide direct information about credibility or authorship like the author's background, update date, and website's address do. The correct answer is option: d) The website's title.
Step-by-step explanation:
When assessing the reliability of a website, the least useful feature is typically (d) The website's title. A website's title often reflects the content or the purpose of the website, but it does not give direct information about the reliability, authorship, or credibility of the information presented.
By contrast, features such as (a) The author's background, (b) The date the site was updated, and (c) The website's address (or URL) can provide valuable insights. The author's credentials and affiliations can highlight expertise and authority in the subject matter. The update date can indicate the currentness of the information, and the URL can sometimes hint at the nature of the organization or the intent of the website, such as educational, governmental, or commercial purposes.
Reputable sources often list the author's qualifications and affiliations along with up-to-date contact information. Additionally, they might show a clear record of updates, and provide an objective viewpoint without heavy advertising biases. They tend to offer links to credible sources, and a bibliography to support the content, ensuring that the information can be verified.