Evaluating Web Sites: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly, and How to Tell the Difference
Authority
- Is the page signed, i.e. does it give an author's name?
- Are the author's credentials given?
- Who is the sponsoring agency?
URL can provide clues: .edu, .gov, .org
Reasons for consideration:
- Anyone can publish anything on the Internet.
- Internet bypasses traditional publishing steps of fact checking, peer review, editor's revisions, etc.
- The Web has no standards for information that it carries.
Questionable site:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080502081339AAW1Tbs
No source is given for the information, and the author does not appear to be an authority on the subject.
Good site:
http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerBasics/what-is-cancer
This information comes directly from the American Cancer Society, a reputable source.
Objectivity
- What is its purpose (to inform, persuade, sell, entertain?)
- Any bias or hidden agenda?
- Clues to objectivity: authority, presence of ads
Reasons for consideration:
- Internet is often used as a soapbox.
- Internet tends to blur distinctions between advertising, opinion, and facts.
Questionable site:
http://hutchison.senate.gov
The information is probably true but is likely to be biased since it comes from the subject's own personal page.
Good site:
http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=S0852103
Information is provided by a non-partisan organization.
Content
- Accurate (authoritative source; references cited)
- Appropriate to audience
- Has the needed depth and breadth
- Currency (Does the page have a stated date?)
Note: There is a difference between Date created v. date posted v. date updated
Reasons for consideration:
- Remember that anyone can publish anything on the Internet.
- Standard print indicators of content - like table of contents, preface, publication dates - are often absent on the Internet, so one must examine content directly.
Questionable site:
http://www.indo.com/travel_agents/harapan/rate.html
Dates for hotel rates are outdated.
Good site:
http://www.travelocity.com
Covers many hotels in many cities. Copyright dates at bottom of page indicate ongoing currency.
Ease of Use
- Logical organization
- Intuitive operation
- Do you know where you are or do you get lost in the links?
- User aids: link back to the home page
Site map
Search function for the site
Reasons for consideration:
- Authors do not always take the time to make their site user-friendly.
- Web authors often emphasize what is "cool" over what is useful.
- If a site is hard to use, it will not be used.
Questionable site:
http://www2.tntech.edu/history/earlymod.html
Page is simply a list of links with no apparent organization; many links only lead to other links instead of to actual information.
Good site:
http://www.state.gov/
Information is organized into self-explanatory categories; page offers a site organization map, an index, and a search function for further assistance.
Stability
- Is the site hosted by a stable institution?
- Is older information archived or does it disappear?
- Is it regularly maintained?
No broken links
Regularly updated
- Include email address of Webmaster?
Reasons for consideration:
- Web publishing is quick. It is easier to put something on the Web than to maintain it.
- Nothing is permanent on the Internet.
Questionable site:
http://www.mrfreefree.com/freebies/free_books_literature.html
Page is an advertising site dedicated more to online shopping than to providing stable links. Books displayed change according to the whim of advertisers.
Good site:
The On-Line Books Page
Collection is sponsored by a major university dedicated to creating and maintaining the service.
Last updated: Aug. 16, 2012 4:40 PM
