Evaluating Web Sites
MOOOO!! Things to keep in mind when your are choosing a web site for your research
By Jane Gnidovec
When Evaluating Web Sites, Remember A COW!!!
 ACCURACY
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RADCAB - Your Vehicle for Information Evaluation
click on the link above
MORE TO CONSIDER..........
CHECK FOR SIGNS OF BEING BIAS
Is the author or publisher associated with a special interest group
that might promote one side of an issue.
Are different views presented and addressed? How fairly does the author
treat opposing views.
Does the author’s communication show signs of bias?
ASSESSING AN ARGUMENT
What is the author’s central claim or theory?
How does the author support this claim? With relevant and sufficient
evidence or with just a few short personal accounts of the incident?
Are statistics consistent with those you encounter in other sources?
Have they been used fairly? Does the author explain where the statistics
come from?
Are any of the author’s assumptions questionable?
Does the author consider opposing arguments and challenge them persuasively?
NOTE: If the backing and the authorship of a site are both unclear,
think twice before using the site for your research.
AUTHORSHIP
Is there an author?
You may need to do some clicking and scrolling to find the author’s name. If
you are on an inside page of a site, for example, you may need to go to the
home page or click on an “about this site” link to learn the name of the author.
If there is an author, can you tell whether they are knowledgeable and credible?
When the author’s qualifications are not listed on the site itself, look for links to
the author’s home page, which may provide proof of his or her interests
and knowledge.
SPONSORSHIP
Who, if anyone, sponsors the site? The sponsor of a site is often named
and described on the home page.
What does the URL ending tell you? The URL often specifies the type of group hosting the site: commercial (.com), educational (.edu), governmental (.gov), military(.mil). URLs may also indicate a country of origin: uk (United Kingdom) or jp (Japan), for instance.
PURPOSE AND AUDIENCE
Why was the site created: To argue a position? To sell a product?
To inform readers.
Who is the site’s intended audience? If you do not fit the viewers profile, is
the information on the site still relevant to your topic?
CURRENCY OF THE SITE
How current is the site? Check for the date of publication or the latest update.
How current are the site’s links? If many of the links no longer work,
the site may be too dated for your purposes.
Additional WEB SITE Evaluation Information
Web Site Evaluation Checklist
The student as researcher must rely on his/her own critical analysis to determine the value of a web site as it pertains to their research project or paper.
Authority:
Is the information reliable?
Check the author's credentials and affiliation. Is the author an expert in the field?
Does the resource have a reputable organization or expert behind it?
Are the sources of information stated? Can you verify the information?
Can the author be contacted for clarification?
Check for organizational or author biases.
Scope:
Is the material at this site useful, unique, accurate or is it derivative, repetitious, or doubtful?
Is the information available in other formats?
Is the purpose of the resource clearly stated? Does it fulfill its purpose?
What items are included in the resource? What subject area, time period, formats or types of material are covered?
Is the information factual or opinion?
Does the site contain original information or simply links?
How frequently is the resource updated?
Does the site have clear and obvious pointers to new content?
Format and Presentation:
Is the information easy to get to? How many links does it take to get to something useful?
What is the quality of the graphical images? Do these images enhance the resource or distract from the content?
Is the target audience or intended users clearly indicated?
Is the arrangement of links uncluttered?
Does the site have its own search engine?
Is the site easy to browse or search?
Cost and Accessibility:
Is the site available on a consistent basis?
Is response time fast?
Does the site have a text-based alternative?
How many links lead to a dead-end?
Is this a fee-based site? Can non-members still have access to part of the site?
Must you register a name and password before using the site?
Other Tips:
Check the header and footer information to determine the author and source.
In the URL, a tilde ~ usually indicates a personal web directory rather than being part of the organization's official web site.
In order to verify an author's credentials, you may need to consult some printed sources such as Who's Who in America or the Biography Index.
Check and compare the web site to others which are both similar and different.
