evaluating web sites c. schwartz, lms november 25, 2013
TRANSCRIPT
Evaluating Web Sites
C. Schwartz, LMS
November 25, 2013
Internet Provides a wealth of information Gives quick results Great place to find
– Images– Fast facts– Current events
Problems Information can be inaccurate Not checked for accuracy Maybe biased Often not thorough Can be out of date High reading level
Criteria for EvaluationAuthor
– Who is the author
– Who created the page
– Look for a link such as “about” or “home”
– Look for a way to email the author
Criteria for EvaluationAuthority
– Author/creator credentials
– Resume
– Associated with an institution or association
Criteria for EvaluationCurrency
– Date of posting of site or last update
– Importance depends on topic. Historical vs. current research
Criteria for EvaluationAccuracy
– Personal opinion
– Fact or Fiction
– Reviewed by a well-known source on topic
Criteria for EvaluationBias
– One-sided or shows both sides of the issue
– Author’s opinion
Criteria for EvaluationDepth
– Amount of detail provided
– Depends on the intended audience
Criteria for EvaluationAppearance
– Professional appearance
– Easy to navigate
– Images load quickly
– Working links
– Misspelling
– Color
– Few ads
Purpose of Web site
Educational- to inform
Commercial Not biased Well balanced
Wikipedia
Popular website Reliability History Question of Authority
Data bases
Digital Print Source Access via Internet Not web pages Reliable Encyclopedias, periodicals
Domain Name
.edu .com .net .gov .mil .org
Criteria for Evaluation http://www.smokers.org http://www.google.com