Five criteria for evaluating Web pages
FROM: Kapoun, Jim. "Teaching undergrad's WEB evaluation: A guide for library instruction." C&RL News (July/August 1998): 522-523.
URL: http://www.library.cornell.edu/okuref/research/webeval.html
| Evaluation of Web documents | How to interpret the basics |
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Accuracy of Web Documents Who wrote the page and can you contact him or her? What is the purpose of the document and why was it produced? Is this person qualified to write this document? |
Accuracy Make sure author provides e-mail or contact address/phone number. Know the distinction between author and webmaster. |
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Authority of Web Documents Who wrote the page and can you contact him or her? What is the purpose of the document and why was it produced? Is this person qualified to write this document? |
Authority What credentials are listed for the authors? Where is the document published? Check the URL domain. |
| Objectivity of Web Documents What goals/objectives does this page meet? How detailed is the information? What opinions (if any) are expressed by the author? |
Objectivity Determine if page is a mask for advertising; if so information might be biased. View any Web page as you would an infomercial on television. Ask yourself why it was written and for whom. |
| Currency of Web Documents When was it produced? When was it updated? How up-to-date are the links (if any)? |
Currency How many dead links are on the page? Are the links current or updated regularly? |
| Coverage of the Web Documents Are the links (if any) evaluated and do they complement the document's theme? |
Coverage If page requires special software to view the information, how much are you missing if you don't have the software? Is it free or is there a fee to obtain the information? Is there an option for text only, or frames, or a suggested browser for better viewing? |
| Putting it all together: Accuracy: If your page lists the author and institution that published the page and provides a way of contacting him/her and . . . . Authority: If your page lists the author credentials and its domain is preferred (.edu, .gov, .org, or .net) . . . . Objectivity: If your page provides accurate information with limited advertising and it is objective in presenting the information, and . . . . Currency: If your page is current and updated regularly (as stated on the page) and the links (if any) are also up-to-date, and. . . . Coverage: If you can view the information properly--not limited to fees, browser technology, or software requirement, then . . . . You may have a Web page that could be of value to your research!
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