2. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 1 evaluating information on the web Tefko Saracevic School of Communication, Information and Library Studies Rutgers University http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/~tefko

3. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 2 evaluating internet resources impossible? not really hard? very help? exists if you persist LECTURE TOPICS: –how to go about it? –what are the main criteria? –where to verify?

4. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 3 the web fastest growing technology in history explosive growth of WWW provided –ubiquity of information and access –but also information chaos & anarchy growing difficulty in identifying, searching, retrieving and EVALUATING metaphors: ‘lost in an ocean’ ‘finding pearls in garbage dumps’ ‘needle in haystack’

5. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 4 web is value neutral all kinds of information can be found –misinformation deliberate, just plain wrong or plain stupid –disinformation, censored –hate information –propaganda, spin doctored information –questionable, inaccurate, –harmful, objectionable, insulting

6. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 5 value neutral... but information that is also –valid, reliable, useful, relevant, accurate, factual, timely, credible … to a high degree appropriate to many problems & tasks –otherwise hard or impossible to find, retrieve & access –from sources that are trustworthy

7. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 6 prerequisite knowledge to evaluate web information needed knowledge about –web structure & mode of operandi of the internet & domain name system –notion & characteristics of cognitive authority –criteria adapted for the web

8. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 7 evaluated

9. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 8 cognitive authority “ influence on one’s thoughts that one would consciously recognize as proper” Patrick Wilson related to assignment of credibility –two components: competence & trustworthiness ascribed to particular individual, institution, organization, action

10. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 9 problems on the web –traditional authority indicators difficult to attribute - often absent authorship? title? version? place of origin? author qualification? credentials? –no filtering – vanity publishing

11. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 10 problems... –sometimes even attribution difficult identity? reputation? qualifications? can be published by anyone anyone can claim to be somebody else assigning credibility to Web information a BIG problem

12. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 11 solutions rigorous evaluation –more detailed than print sources depending on known authority sites, authors, organizations following many sites that did evaluation already

13. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 12 evaluation criteria many traditional criteria remain but with new interpretations a number of new criteria have emerged specific to digital nature of resources & access many are stated & can be found on the Web e.g. library sites

14. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 13 web & cognitive authority need to carefully asses (always, web or no web): document, author, institution & affiliation on criteria of:authority accuracy currency objectivity coverage

15. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 14 specific evaluation criteria what & why? - documents, objects –content? purpose? scope? viewpoint? by whom? - creators, authors, institutions –identity? authority? credibility? reputation? qualification? refereeing? where? - affiliation, connections –identity? overt? covert? authority? credibility? reputation?

16. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 15 criteria... for whom? - orientation –intended audience? needs satisfied? fit with user community? when? - timeliness –currency? up-to-date? revisions? persistence estimate? how? - treatment, coverage –accuracy? credibility? objectivity? style? clarity? organization? usability?

17. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 16 criteria... in what way? - presentation –format? layout? interface? search capabilities? access? how much? - economics –effort? price? cost-benefits? license? in comparison to? - competition –other similar resources?

18. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 17 model for evaluating information on the web INPUT: filter & assessment for –document –author –institution –affiliation OUTPUT: combined assessment & ascription of cognitive authority

19. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 18 model... input from the web ascription of cognitive authority assess document assess author assess institution assess affiliation filter

20. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 19 examples newspapers –New York Times; many others governments –in the US: Census Bureau; State Department; Nat. Inst. of Standards organizations –www consortium (w3c)

21. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 20 examples... international –UN, European Union agencies professional –Assoc. for Computing Machinery health –Mayo Clinic; Rx list for pharmaceuticals

22. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 21 examples... science –national academies of many countries commercial –encyclopedias, reference sources –Britannica has evaluated web sites publishers –evaluated sites e.g. Choice

23. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 22 libraries & web authority emerged as an important sourceemerged as an important source –many provide evaluated sites & links judicial trusted selection:judicial & trusted selection: –a k –a key value-added contribution by libraries internationally –trust extends to digital collections –makes all the difference between a library & other collections

24. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 23 library examples national libraries: many links –Library of Congress; UKOLN (UK) academic libraries: great many –U of Michigan: law –U of California Berkeley: many domains –Virtual Library (Switzerland) –etc. etc. etc. GREAT sources!

25. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 24 reference, journals elaborate online reference sites –Martindale’s reference desk –some commercial e.g. Ask Jeeves –reference questions answered online pathways, guides publications - some free other licensed - licensing now a big deal

26. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 25 specialized digital libraries emerged in great many domains, fields –history, national memories –arts, museums, music, poetry... –science, technology –geography, climate, weather –cooking, stamp collecting, sports...

27. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 26 conclusions web sources HAVE to be evaluated many evaluations follow traditional criteria e.g. as for news accounts many new criteria evolved many tools already there hard but possible!

28. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 27 sources URLs for the mentioned & many other sites can be found on: http://scils.rutgers.edu/~tefko/D-Lib_Edu/

29. © Tefko Saracevic, Rutgers University 28