1. Evaluating Web Resources
A presentation by
Michele K. Haralson
Samford University

2. Why is it important? Because the quality of websites varies GREATLY!
Important for students AND teachers.

3. Guidelines for Evaluating Web Resources
Authority
Accuracy
Objectivity
Currency
Coverage
Design

4. Authority Is there an author or sponsoring organization?
Is the page signed?
What are their qualifications? Are they well-known and reputable?
Is there a link to information about the author or sponsor?
Is there a way of verifying the legitimacy of the page's sponsor? That is, is there a phone number or address to contact for more information?
What is the website’s extension?
.com
.edu
.org
.gov
.html (look for personal name, ~ or %)
It is often difficult to determine the author of a web page.
Even if a page is signed, qualifications aren’t usually given.
Anyone can create a website and put it on the Internet.
Personal pages are not necessarily "bad," but you need to investigate the author very carefully. For personal pages, there is no publisher or domain owner vouching for the information in the page.
**Also – look at the page’s extension for verification of authority.
.edu and .org are generally “informational” websites
.html is often a personal web page, not sponsored by a group or organization.
The “owner” or sponsoring organization of a page is found in the URL after “

5. Examples of “Authority”
Good
Not So Good
Student Activity

6. Accuracy
Is the information reliable and error-free, including grammatical, spelling, and typographical errors?
Is there an editor or someone who verifies the information?
Is there a bibliography or other resource links clearly listed so the information can be verified in another source?
Does the information contradict information already gathered?
There are no standards for website design.
Unlike a print encyclopedia that has been reviewed by several editors before being published, a website has not been reviewed and edited several times before being posted.

7. Examples of “Accuracy”
Good
Not So Good
“vehicularly exculpatient”???? Means never had a car accident

8. Objectivity Purpose Advertising Bias
What is the purpose/objective of the website?
Public service
Educational
Sway opinion
Advertising
Is the information free of advertising?
If there is any advertising on the page, is it clearly differentiated from the informational content?
Bias
Is the point of view balanced?
Is the information based on fact? Opinion? Prejudice?
Are both sides of an issue presented?
The Web often functions as a virtual “soapbox” for the author.

9. Examples of “Objectivity”
Good
Not So Good
Bias
Advertising

10. Currency Is the page dated? If so, when was the last update?
Have the links been kept current?

11. Examples of “Currency”
Good
Bad

12. Coverage Relevant Comprehensive Complete Compare
Is the content relevant to my topic?
Is the information useful?
Comprehensive
Does the source tell the whole story, or is it too specific about one part?
Complete
Is there an indication that the page has been completed, and is not still under construction?
Compare
How does the website compare in content to similar websites?
What does this page offer that is not found elsewhere?
Sometimes web information is just for fun or outright silliness.
Many well developed pages offer links to other pages on the same topic that they consider worthwhile. They are inviting you compare their information with other pages.
Links that offer opposing viewpoints as well as their own are more likely to be balanced and unbiased than pages that offer only one view.

13. Examples of “Coverage”
Good and Not So Good?
Both sites are good, current, but limited in coverage. One covers USA sports comprehensively, the other covers European sports.

14. Design Navigation Interactivity Appearance
Are the links clearly labeled?
Can you move from page to page easily?
Can you find information easily?
Interactivity
Does the user engage with the site?
How long does it take to load?
Appearance
Is the site aesthetically appealing?
Is there good use of graphics and color?
Can the page be read without excessive scrolling?

15. Examples of “Design” Good Not So Good www.samford.edu

16. Additional Challenges Presented by Web Resources
Use of hypertext links
Search engines can retrieve information out of context
Marketing-oriented web pages
Blending of entertainment, information, and advertising
Software requirements may limit access
Instability of web pages
Susceptibility of web pages to alteration

17. Challenge: Use of Hypertext Links
What you can teach students:
Evaluate each web page independently
Quality of web pages linked to original web page may vary.

18. Challenge: Search Engines Can Retrieve Web Pages Out of Context
What you can teach students:
Always try to return to the “home page” to determine the source of the information
Example: Getting a “Titanic” page that was written by a survivor’s grandson
Doing a search for “Martin Luther King” will bring up city streets, parks, etc….not just information about the man.

19. Challenge: Marketing-Oriented Web Pages
What you can teach students:
Try to determine if the advertising and information both come from the same person / organization.
In other media, there are clear visual and audio distinctions between information and advertising. On the web, these distinctions can become quite blurred, particularly for students.
If the advertising and information come from the same source, then the website is probably propoganda.

20. Challenge: Blending of Advertising, Information, and Entertainment
What you can teach students:
Caveat emptor
The Web has given the “infomercial” a whole new meaning.
Caveat emptor – “Let the buyer beware.” Make sure you know what you are getting when you trust a web site with information.

21. Challenge: Instability of Web Pages
What you can teach students:
Document source to the fullest extent possible
Web pages may move or disappear without notice. User may not be able to get back to original page.

22. Challenge: Web Pages Susceptible to Alteration
What you can teach students:
Attempt to verify information using other sources

23. Conclusion
Web evaluation techniques are only beginning to be developed
Technology is outpacing ability to create standards and guidelines
Establishing evaluation procedures will be an ongoing evolutionary process

24. Other Resources Links to Evaluating Websites
A Webquest About Evaluating Websites
Online Quiz