 |
 |
 |
 |
| About the Library | Resources and Collections | Research Guides |
 |
Evaluating Web Resources
You use the same criteria for evaluating Web resources as you do for print resources. However, there are Web-specific things to notice. For example, check the URL of the page to determine the avenue of Internet access for the author:
- .gov is for government sites
- .edu is for educational institution sites (although the author may be faculty/staff/student or an alum)
- .com is for commerical Internet access
- .org is generally for non-profit organizations
Compare this Whitehouse to this Whitehouse
Criteria for Evaluating Web Resources
Scope
Subject: What is it about?
Depth: How detailed is it?
Coverage: Is the subject limited to certain time periods
Comprehensiveness: Is this everything on the topic?
Format: What types of resources are listed? Only Web sites? Or other Internet
or print resources?
Authority
Who wrote the page? Is there an email address for contact?
What are the credentials of the authors?
Currency
Is the information up to date?
Is it consistently being updated?
Is timeliness important to the subject area?
Accuracy
Is there a bias present? Is it stated or not?
Is the information correct or are there errors?
What is the source of this information?
Audience
For whom is the page written? Children? Adults? Scholars?
Is the content appropriate for the intended audience?
Compare book reviews for All Quiet on the Western Front from:
Purpose
What is the purpose of the site? To entertain? To inform? To teach?
Is there any advertising?
Is the purpose stated? Does the site fulfill its purpose?
Organization, Structure and Design
Is the page easy to understand and to use?
Is it organized in a way appropriate for its content and purpose?
Are the graphics meaningful or purely for decoration? Are there too many
graphics?