Why do we need to evaluate web sites? While books have publishers, editors and fact checkers before a book gets printed and sent out to the public, web sites do not have anyone that judges the quality or accuracy of information before it is published to the World Wide Web. However, some sites are created by experts but a vast majority are not. What is the URL or web address of the web site you are evaluating? http://
What is the title of the web site?
CURRENCY:When the site was created, updated or last worked on? It is important to know when a site was created, when it was last updated and if all of its links are working. Some websites require more updating than others. Historical web sites do not need as much updating as often as news stories or stock market information.
When was the web site last updated, revised or modified? I couldn’t find this information It was last updated on:
Do the links work? Yes, the links work. Some of the links are dead None of the links work
RELEVENCY:Does the web site provide the information I need for my project? Does the web site answer my research questions? Can I understand the information?
Is the information relevant to my research project? Yes No
Is the web site easy to navigate and understand? Yes No
AUTHORSHIP AND AUTHENTICITYAre the pages written by an expert in their field? Authors’ and/or organizations’ identity, qualifications and/or biographical information: It is important to find out the qualifications or expertise to determine the credibility and reliability of the information posted on the web site.
Who is the author of the web site? I couldn’t tell The author is:
What authorship clues did the URL (web address) provide? company (.com) educational (.edu) government (.gov) non-profit (.org) network of computer (.net) military (.mil) country-specific site (.uk)
What are the qualifications and/or expertise of the author or group that created the site? I couldn’t find this information No, qualifications were stated. Yes, Qualifications include:
Does the author or group provide contact information? I couldn’t find this information Yes, contact information is provided. No, contact information was not provided.
PURPOSE AND CONTENT: What is the purpose of the web site? Determine the purpose of the web site by looking closely at the content. Is it a website providing opinions or facts? Is it a website forum for people to post reviews on? Are they trying to sell you something? Does the website have additional sources of information (links or references) for you to extend your learning ?
What kind of website is it? Government Agency Personal web page (i.e. blog - opinions) A company or organization Entertainment/News Advertisement/Review Forum Educational Scholarly/Research
Does the web site provide you with additional resources to extend your research (references, bibliography, citations etc)? Yes, the web site provides additional information. No.