Transcript Web Evaluation 2_16x

Website Evaluation
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How to evaluate a website
Authority

Who wrote the pages and are they an expert?
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Is the name on the site the author or
the Webmaster?
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Does the site provide author contact information and author
biography?

Who published the site
**Look for About or More About the author on the
webpage
**Google author to get credentials/background
information
**Look at domain name for indication of site sponsor/publisher
Bias
 What is the purpose of the site – is it stated?

Is the information opinion or fact? Is it biased
in some way?

Is site free of words such as NEVER or
ALWAYS
Coverage
 Is the topic and purpose of the site easy
to identify?
 Is the information provided relevant to your
research needs.
 Is the layout well thought out and well
organized?
 Is it easy to move from one place to
another? Are the links relevant?
Accuracy
 Does the information agree with information
from other sources?
 Are sources cited or listed in bibliography?
 Does this Web site provide useful information?
 Are there spelling, grammatical or typographical
errors?
Currency
 Is the information presented current?
 Is there a copyright or revision date available?
 Do all of the links function properly?
Additional things to consider
=Where does the information come from:
Regulated
• government agency: federal (.gov)
• educational institution (.edu or k12)
Unregulated
• commercial business: (.com)
• organization: service oriented, non-profit (.org)
• network organization (generic/all-purpose) – ??? (.net)
Examples of sources that are often the most
credible:
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Official government websites
Institutional sites that represent universities, regulatory agencies, governing bodies, and
respected organizations with specific expertise (e.g., the Mayo Clinic)
Peer-reviewed journals
Reputable news sources
Sources located on subscription databases
Examples of sources that are often considered less
credible:
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Blogs
Web forums
Individual or business websites
Materials published by an entity that may have an ulterior motive
What is the important thing about a:
• Subscription database
– paid for
– pre-selected material
– reliable
– published magazines, reports, documents,
newspapers, books, images, etc.
Subscription Databases available at
KFLMC
• eLibrary Science
• eLibrary
• Galenet
• CultureGrams
• Proquest
• Sirs
Subscription Databases provided by PA
Dept. of Education
• Locating databases in school:
Go to Destiny library home page
Click on link POWER LIBRARY
Select appropriate database
• Locating databases at home
Use web address: database.accesspa.org/
Select your county (Dauphin)
Select PUBLIC LIBRARY
• Before being able to use, you will need to select your
local library name and enter your public library card #.
• http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/
conlaw/billofrightsintro.html
Websites to Evaluate
• http://www.basicplanet.com/mars/
• http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/mars