Evaluating Web Sources

Evaluating Web SourcesPresenting byAmal AlhamalAyra AlmeidaZarina Sushina

Online Research Advantages vs. Disadvantages

• Convenient

• Current

• Various

• Not reliable

• Transient

• Costly

Criteria for Evaluating Web Resources:•Authority•Accuracy•Objectivity •Currency•Coverage•Design

Authority• Is there an author or sponsoring organization?• Is the page signed?• Are they have a good reputation? Are they well-

known? • Is there an information about the author or a

sponsor? • Is there a phone number or an address to

contact for more information?• Is the website’s domain official?

.com - Commercial

.edu - Education

.org - Organization

.gov/.mil - Government

.net - Internet Service provider/~ or % - personal name

Accuracy• Is there an editor or someone who can verify

the information present in the website?• Does the information disagree with the

information already gathered?• Is the information reliable and error-free?

Objectivity• Is there any advertising on the page?•What is the purpose of the website?•Does the content show bias? Is the bias explicit

or hidden?

Currency• Is the page dated?• If so, when was the last update?•How current are the links? Have some expired

or moved?

Coverage•What topics are covered by the website?•Are the topics discussed in-depth or just

summarized?•How does the website compare in content to

similar websites?• Is there an indication that the page has been

completed, and is not still under construction?

Design• Is the content well-organized?• Is the overall design easy to comprehend?•Does the site contain pop-up windows that

distracts user’s attention?•Does advertising pack and hide the main

content?

Examples of online sources:•Goodhttp://www.harvard.edu

•Questionablehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contact_us

•Badhttp://www.beastobama.com/

Conclusion

Even though the World Wide Web gives a lot information for research papers it can be easily copied with omissions and errors. If you want to do online research you need to have a critical thinking in choosing the right source.

References:•http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/

Internet/Evaluate.html•http://lib.nmsu.edu/instruction/evalcrit.html•http://people.wcsu.edu/reitzj/res/evalweb.html•http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college/

11605_12337.cfm•http://www.lesley.edu/library/guides/research/

evaluating_web.html