WEBSITE EVALUATIONWEBSITE EVALUATION

Deciding if this is the correct Deciding if this is the correct website for your researchwebsite for your research

5 Traditional Evaluation 5 Traditional Evaluation CriteriaCriteria

AccuracyAccuracy AuthorityAuthority ObjectivityObjectivity

CurrencyCurrency CoverageCoverage

TYPES OF SITESTYPES OF SITES

.com—commercial.com—commercial .net—private network.net—private network .org—non-profit.org—non-profit .gov—U.S. government.gov—U.S. government .edu—colleges and universities.edu—colleges and universities

ACCURACYACCURACY

How How reliablereliable and free from error is the and free from error is the information?information?

Are there Are there editorseditors and fact finders? and fact finders? Many Web resources are Many Web resources are not verifiednot verified

by editors and/or fact checkersby editors and/or fact checkers Web standards to ensure accuracy are Web standards to ensure accuracy are

not fully developed.not fully developed. Almost anyoneAlmost anyone can publish on the Web can publish on the Web

AUTHORITYAUTHORITY

What are the author’s What are the author’s qualificationsqualifications for writing on the for writing on the subject?subject?

How How reputablereputable is the publisher? is the publisher? If the author’s name is listed, are If the author’s name is listed, are

his/her qualifications listed?his/her qualifications listed?

OBJECTIVITYOBJECTIVITY

Is the information presented with a Is the information presented with a minimum of bias?minimum of bias?

To what extent is the information trying To what extent is the information trying to to swaysway the opinion of the audience? the opinion of the audience?

Web often functions as a Web often functions as a virtual virtual soapboxsoapbox

Goals and aims of persons or groups Goals and aims of persons or groups presenting material often presenting material often not clearly not clearly statedstated

CURRENCYCURRENCY

Is the content of the work up-to-Is the content of the work up-to-date?date?

Is the publication date clearly Is the publication date clearly indicated?indicated?

COVERAGECOVERAGE

What topicsWhat topics are included in the are included in the work?work?

To what To what depthdepth are topics explored? are topics explored?

ADDITIONAL CHALLENGESADDITIONAL CHALLENGES

Marketing-Marketing-oriented Web oriented Web PagesPages

Blending of Blending of Entertainment, Entertainment, Information, and Information, and AdvertisingAdvertising

Software Software requirements may requirements may limit accesslimit access

Instability of Web Instability of Web PagesPages

Susceptibility of Susceptibility of Web Pages to Web Pages to alterationalteration

ULTIMATE CHALLENGEULTIMATE CHALLENGE

Applying this knowledge when Applying this knowledge when using the Web as a research toolusing the Web as a research tool

WEB PAGE EVALUATION WEB PAGE EVALUATION PROCEDUREPROCEDURE

Step 1-- Identify type of pageStep 1-- Identify type of page Step 2-- Use appropriate checklistStep 2-- Use appropriate checklist Step 3-- Based on checklist criteria, Step 3-- Based on checklist criteria,

determine relative quality of page determine relative quality of page

IDENTIFY TYPE OF PAGEIDENTIFY TYPE OF PAGE

advocacyadvocacy business/business/

marketingmarketing informationalinformational

newsnews personalpersonal entertainmententertainment

USE OF APPROPRIATE USE OF APPROPRIATE CHECKLISTCHECKLIST

– Answer questions “yes” or “no”Answer questions “yes” or “no”

DETERMINE RELATIVE DETERMINE RELATIVE QUALITY OF PAGEQUALITY OF PAGE

The greater the number of The greater the number of checklist questions answered checklist questions answered “yes,” the more likely the page is “yes,” the more likely the page is of higher informational qualityof higher informational quality

Information obtained fromwww2.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/webevaluation/webeval.htm