How+to+Evaluate+Websites


 * Checklist for Evaluating Web Sites **

Anyone can write a webpage. You must judge the quality or accuracy of the information you find on the World Wide Web. The vast majority of WWW sites are designed and authored by non-experts. AUTHORITY AND ACCURACY ** It is important to find out //who is// the author and what are the author's //qualifications// or //expertise,// in order to determine the credibility and reliability of the information. Look for a hyperlink on the webpage titled ABOUT.
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 * Who is the author of the Web site?
 * What part of the URL (Web address) gave you clues about authorship? //Ex: //.com, .edu, .gov, .net, .org, .uk
 * What are the qualifications of the group that created this page?

Determine the purpose of the Web site by looking closely at the content of the information. Some sites provide links to information about our organization or a Mission Statement , detailing the purpose in creating the Web site, while the purpose of others might not be obvious at first.
 * PURPOSE AND CONTENT **

 **<span style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> CURRENCY ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The currency or regularity of updating information is vital for some types of Web sites, and not so important for others. <span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> **<span style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> DESIGN, ORGANIZATION AND EASE OF USE ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Design, organization and ease of use are important considerations. Web sites can provide useful sources of information. However, if they are slow to load or difficult to navigate, search and read, then their contribution and usefulness will be lost. <span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msobidifontsize: 11.0pt; msobidifontweight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;">
 * <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">What is the purpose of the Web page or site? Entertainment? Company Page? Scholarly/Research Information? Educational?
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Does the Web site provide any contact information or means of communicating with the author or Webmaster?
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">When was the Web site last revised, modified or updated?
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Is currency important to the type of information available on this Web site? <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Explain your answer.
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Are links broken (Error 404 messages)?
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In your opinion, how does the Web site appear overall? Are words spelled correctly?
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Does the website lead you to other sources that are useful?


 * <span style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">BIAS **<span style="color: black; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings; msobidifontfamily: Wingdings; msobidifontsize: 11.0pt; msobidifontweight: bold; msofareastfontfamily: Wingdings; msolist: Ignore;">
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Who is the intended audience for your website? Does the website appear biased or provide one-side information?