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AUTHORITY
- Is there an author or
sponsoring body (organization, company) and is the name of the author or
sponsoring body listed?
- Are the author's
qualifications or credentials listed?
- Is contact information
(e-mail, address, or phone number) included?
- Is the listed name
different from the "Webmaster"?
- Where is the document
published? Check the URL domain (.edu, .org, .com, .gov).
OBJECTIVITY
- Has the author or
organization clearly stated the goals and/or aims of the site?
(The Web often functions as a virtual soapbox.)
- If objectivity is
important, is the information presented in an objective manner?
- Is a particular point of
view being presented?
- Is there a bias, either
explicit or implied?
- Is the information
presented free of advertising? If there is advertising, is it clearly
differentiated from the informational content?
- Is this an "Infomercial"
Web page? (On the Web, the distinction between advertising and
information can easily become blurred.)
ACCURACY
- If facts and figures are
given, are they accurate?
- Are the sources for any factual information clearly listed?
- Can they be verified in
another source?
- How does this
information compare with other sources of information on this topic?
CURRENCY
- When was the page
produced?
- When was it last
updated?
- Is any information on
the page outdated?
- Are the links
up-to-date? Are there references to sites which have moved?
CONTENT/RELEVANCY
- Does the page meet your
research needs or purpose?
- Is the subject
adequately covered?
- Are the links (if any)
evaluated/annotated and do they complement the page's theme?
- If other sources are
quoted, is the information accurately cited?
- Is all the information
on the site free, or is there a fee to link to some or all of the
information?
AESTHETICS
- Is there an appropriate
balance between text and images?
- Is the design of the
page visually appealing or is it too cluttered?
- Is there an option for
text only, or frames, or a suggested browser for better viewing?
- If page requires special
software to view the information, how much are you missing if you don't
have the software?
PUTTING IT ALL
TOGETHER
AUTHORITY. If the page lists the author credentials
and its domain is preferred (.edu, .org, .gov), and…
OBJECTIVITY. If the page provides accurate and
objective information, and …
ACCURACY. If the page lists the author and institution
that published the page and provides a way of contacting him/her, and…
CURRENCY. If the page is current
and updated regularly (as stated on the page) and the links (if any) are
also up-to-date, and…
CONTENT/ RELEVANCY. If the page meets your research
needs and the subject is adequately covered, and…
AESTHETICS. If the page has a balance of images and
graphics, is visually appealing,
...then you will have found a high quality Web page that should be of
value to your research!
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