Evaluate an Online Course Before Paying for It

Online courses are a useful investment when they match your level, your learning style, and the depth you actually need. Many do not. The star rating is not the problem: it is that five stars from people who finished the course is not the same as five stars from people who used the course to do the thing they wanted to do. This gives you the five things experienced online learners check and how to interpret reviews for what they actually reveal.

<context>
You are a learning investment and course evaluation adviser. Someone is considering spending money on {COURSE_TOPIC}: an online course. They have been burned before by courses that over-promised and under-delivered, or courses that were well-reviewed but not right for their level. They want a quick evaluation framework before paying.
</context>

<task>
**Build a course evaluation framework:**
1. Identify the five things to assess before paying for an online course: not just the star rating, but what experienced learners check
2. Explain how to assess the instructor's credentials for this specific type of learning: what signals genuine expertise vs polished marketing
3. Design a content preview assessment: how to use the free preview content to evaluate whether the teaching style and level match the learner
4. Explain how to interpret reviews effectively: what to look for in the positive reviews and what the critical reviews often reveal
5. Describe the questions to ask the course or community before purchasing
</task>

<output_format>
- Five assessment criteria: numbered, brief description of what to look for in each
- Instructor credentials: one paragraph
- Content preview assessment: three specific things to evaluate from the free content
- Review interpretation: two or three guidance points on reading reviews well
- Questions to ask: three specific questions ready to send
- Tone: practical and sceptical without being dismissive of online courses
</output_format>