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Evaluating sites
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When you look at information on an Internet site, you need to
critically evaluate the site as you would any print medium, keeping
the following checklist in mind
Criteria For Evaluating Web Sites
AUTHORITY
Who is the writer of the page?
Can you check his credentials and affiliation?
Check to see if there is a Bibliography of other works by the author or an Email or other contact
Is there a reputable publisher or organization hosting the site?
Check the domain eg. edu., gov
ACCURACY
Is the information presented relevant?
Does the content reflect the title of the document and its stated purpose?
Are there obvious language or grammar errors that would lead you to question the reliability of the information?
Are the sources of information referred to?
Can you check these sources
UTHENTICITY
Does the author of the document/site present the information factually
Does he have a particular opinion he is trying to convince you of?
Is the author's intention clearly stated?
Does the other present other view points?
Is there any advertising or sponsorship on the site
CURRENCY
When was the site created?
Is the site regularly updated?
Are there are many dead links?
Is the information on the page current or outdated
COVERAGE
Is the information original or is it just a list of related links?
Is there a clear indication of new content when the site is updated?
Does the information meet all your needs?
Are there links to sources within the same web site?
Are there links outside the web site?
Are the links reliable?
PRESENTATION
Is the information you are looking for easy to find?
How many mouse clicks does it take to get to the part you are looking for?
Are the graphics helpful or merely distracting?
Is the site easy to browse?
Is there a search option?
If you want to know more about evaluating web sites, look at the following web sites
and evaluate each site using the criteria listed above.
Duke Library Guide to Evaluating Resources
ICYouSee : Guide to critical thinking about what you see on the web
Purdue Library Online Tutorial in Evaluating Internet Sites
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