Evaluating Web Sites
Be suspicious! Don’t trust the information on a web site until you
have critically examined its contents. Focus on the information contained in
the browser title bar (URL), the perimeter of the page (for links and ads), and
the content of the page/site. Evaluate the site on its authority, accuracy,
objectivity, timeliness, and coverage.
Authority
= the author or organization behind the site
Examine
the URL in the browser title bar.
What
type of domain is it? Is this apprproiate for the content?
.com
= commercial .edu = educational gov = government
.mil
= military .net = network .org = organizational
.us
=
Is
it a personal page within an
organization?
URL
will have a personal name and : ~ % users members people
Who
owns this domain?
Search WHOIS by domain name http://www.networksolutions.com/en_US/whois?
e.g.: for website http://www.usda.gov/nass/ domain
name = usda.gov
Examine the content of the
page.
Can
you identify the author? What expertise does he/she have on this
topic?
Look
for “About the Author/About Us” links for author’s name and contact info.
Verify
credentials in another source (e.g. journal, encyclopedia, directory, etc.).
Is
the organization identified? Are
goals of the organization described?
Look
for links to the home page of the web site and/or to its
Accuracy =
information that is complete, correct, and verifiable.
What
is the source of the statistics and facts? Are they based on
reliable research?
Examine
bibliographies and references.
Is
reproduced information (from another source) complete, not altered, not fake or
forged?
How
does the value of this web site
compare with other information resources for this topic?
Compare
it to journal articles, books, other web sites, etc.
Objectivity
= impartial interpretation of data.
What
is the purpose of this site?
Does
the author present both sides of an
issue?
Is
the page a mask for advertising?
Look at the edges of the page for ads and links.
Is
the information factual or does it
represent opinions?
Timeliness
= information that is current.
Does
this topic require current information?
(e.g. Civil War battles, Iraq War 2004 deaths)
When
was the content created? When was
the page updated?
Look
for a “First posted” date and “Last updated” date for the page.
When
were the statistics gathered and published?
Do
the links still connect?
Coverage =
extent to which the subject is covered.
How
comprehensive is the web site?
Is
the site complete, or still under
construction?
Who
is the intended audience?
