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Evaluating a Website
Before jumping
to the Internet, determine first if the Internet is the best and most reliable
place to find the information you need. Sometimes it is easier and more
efficient to use a reference book, such as The World Almanac, or another
print source. Though the Internet can be a wonderful way of locating
information, it has its pitfalls and shortcomings. You need to know them and be
wary of them. Anyone can publish a Web page; therefore, websites are not
considered as authoritative as a printed source, such as book or a magazine.
The following
is a quick checklist of critically evaluating websites:
-
Accuracy:
Can information that is purported to be factual on the site be verified
and/or found in other resources? Are there any grammatical, spelling, or
typographical errors?
-
Authority:
Who is the author? What are his credentials? Is he an expert on this
particular subject area? Is there an organization that sponsors the site?
Is it reputable? Is there a way to contact the author, if you so need?
If an author or a sponsor is not given, can its origin be determined in come
other way?
-
Coverage:
What topics are covered? How in-depth is the information or topic? Too
techie or too simple? Is the material covered relevant? Does the site offer
links to other sources to support the information?
-
Currency:
When was the website created or last updated? Is currency important for the
topic being researched? Are its links current and working?
-
Objectivity:
Is there any bias in the way the information is presented? Does the author
or organization have an agenda that you can determine?
For a more
in-depth source for evaluating a website use the links below:
The ABCs
WebSite Evaluation
(must have Adobe Acrobat
Reader for this link)
The Good, the
Bad & the Ugly; or. Why It's a Good Idea to Evaluate Web Sources Evaluation
Criteria
Quick; The QUality Information
ChecKlist
University of
Southern Maine Checklist for Evaluating Web Resources
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W.
H. Shaw High School