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Evaluating the Quality of WWW Resources
Using the World Wide Web to find information on a topic can be both rewarding and frustrating. It can be very useful for researching certain topics, but almost useless for others. The search engine you are using may not interpret your query the way that you wanted it to or thought it would. You may turn up "0" hits, 300, or over 1000.Why is it often difficult to find relevant, useful information on the Web?
How do you find the best information on your topic?
What are the criteria by which to evaluate Web pages?
Exercises and worksheets for Web evaluation
Links to further sites on Web evaluation
Why is it often difficult to find relevant, useful information on the Web?
Anyone may publish on the Web, and the information that is found there may not be accurate or objective. It is "unfiltered", whereas print resources usually are evaluated at least one or more times before you read them. What are the main differences between print and Web resources? Print resources are filtered by the publisher, with the assistance of competent editors. Reputable publishers provide the assurance of quality and authority. The publisher's name is clearly stated in a print resource, whereas determining the publisher (sponsoring group or organization) of a web document is not always easy. Much of the scholarly information in print today has been "peer-reviewed" examined by a group of experts in the field), or issued under the aegis of a scholarly group. Therefore, it has gone through another filtering process, and that is a further assurance of accuracy. If you are used to using the library for research, the material in libraries' collections is chosen by librarians who use certain selection criteria as a guide, and thus the items chosen are again filtered. Furthermore, an electronic document can be altered very easily, so what you read on the Web may not be the original document, whereas changing/revising a print publication is a more complicated and costly process. For all these reasons, it is crucial that you be critical of the information you retrieve from the web. (Patterson, par.5-9)
How do you find the best information on your topic?
First of all, consider the context of your research need.
What exactly is your assignment?
Do you need to consult outside sources in order to complete it?
Is your topic controversial?
Do you need to understand all sides of the issue?
Do you require statistics?
Current commentary and opinion?
An historical analysis?
Definitions?
Research studies or articles?If you are just beginning to gather information, check with a librarian. S/he uses the Web daily, along with print resources, to answer questions, and will help you put your search in context. S/he can recommend the best resources, electronic and/or print, that will help you to complete your assignment or fill your information need in the most efficient way possible.
In fact, many "traditional" library research sources are now also available on the Web. Unlike many Web sites, these have already been "filtered" by both the reputable publisher and by the library that has decided to subscribe (often for a substantial fee) to a particular source. So you may feel confident in using the items you find or can link to from the Christopher Center Library Home Page, either under "Article Indexes and Databases" or "E-Resources." For example, you will find the Encyclopaedia Britannica Online under "E-Resources" (choose the link "Encyclopedias"). It may be the best place to begin your research. The library also offers Web-based periodical indexes in many subjects; some of these include the full-text of some of the periodicals indexed. Most of them offer a succinct abstract that will help you decide whether you want to retrieve the full-text of the article, which may be available online or at the Christopher Center.
Some students choose to rely primarily on web documents. We do not recommend this, as you will miss out on many excellent print sources. However, if you choose to rely on web documents, you will need assistance in evaluating them so that you can be assured that they are authoritative and relevant. As you learn to become a critical user of the web, you will be better able to determine if a particular document matches your research need. The criteria for evaluating web sources listed below will help you to think critically about the web and find the information you are seeking. The ability to evaluate the relevance of a resource, whether it's on a long list of Web resources or on a bibliography of articles or books, is one of the core skills of the research process. As you apply the following criteria and gain search experience, you will develop and sharpen that skill.
What are the criteria by which to evaluate Web pages?
| Authorship | Publisher/Sponsor | Purpose/ Point of View |
Content |
| Coverage/Scope | Currency | Workability |
AuthorshipExperts in the field are reliable sources of information. How do you determine if the Web document you're reading was written by an expert? Begin by asking these questions:
- Is the author's name clearly listed on the document?
- Are his/her qualifications for writing on the topic stated, including position and institutional affiliation?
- If not, is further information available by linking to another site?
- Is contact information such as an e-mail address and/or an address and phone number available so that you may request further information about his/her professional background?
- In your judgment, do the author's credentials give him/her authority to write on the subject?
- Is his/her affiliation with the publishing body of the site described?
- If you cannot find information about the author or if no name is given, is there a header or footer on the document that shows its affiliation as part of a larger site?
Publisher/Sponsor
This usually means the sponsor of the Web site, the group, institution,
or organization that created the site or server on which the document you
are viewing is mounted.
- Is there an official logo or name that appears on the page?
- Is this sponsor "legitimate?" Is an address and phone number included so that you can contact it to verify its existence?
- Is this organization suitable to treat the topic you are researching and recognized within that field?
- For example, would you trust a political organization to provide authoritative scientific information on organ transplantation?
- Check with a librarian to learn more about the sponsor.
- Look the publishing organization up in the Encyclopedia of Associations, a 3 volume set in the Christopher Center Reference Area (Call Number - Ref AS 22.E5)
- If the Web page you are viewing resides on a server maintained by an
institution, is it actually a personal Internet account?
Be careful. A tilde (or "~" symbol) within the URL often, but not always indicates a personal home page. - To learn something about the organization that maintains the Web server,
look at the URL (Uniform or Universal Resource Locator).
The "domain" extension within or at the end of the URL tells you something about the host institution or sponsor of the site. For the U.S., these are the classes of domains:
- .com = a commercial enterprise. Example: www.ibm.com is the URL of the IBM Corporation.
- .edu = an educational institution, usually a college or university. Example: www.valpo.edu is the URL of Valparaiso University.
- .gov = a governmental body. Example: www.census.gov is the URL of the US Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census.
- .mil = a military body. Example: www.army.mil is the URL of the United States Army.
- .net = an Internet Service Provider or ISP. Example: www.charm.net is an Internet Service for Maryland, DC, and Northern Virginia.
- .org = an organization, often not-for-profit, and usually an advocacy group. Examples: www.redcross.org is the URL of the American Red Cross.
- .~NAME = usually, but not always, indicates a personal web directory with no "official" sanction, even though it may be mounted on the server of a particular institution.
Purpose/Point of View
Now that you have determined who the author and publisher are, you need
to find information on the site that is similar to what is usually found
in the preface or introduction of a book. If you understand the purpose,
the reason why the document or site was created, you will be a better judge
of its content.
- What is the purpose of this site?
- Is it clearly stated and obvious?
- Does the purpose help to meet your research need?
- What is the intended audience - the general public? scholars? potential customers?
- Is the writing style, vocabulary, and tone appropriate for this audience?
- Is it overly complex or too simplistic for your needs?
- If the site is sponsored by an organization, what can you learn about its point of view, or particular bias, from the information presented?
- Note: if you are researching a controversial issue, you will want to examine the various sides. Therefore, you will want to look for sources, print or electronic, that give you alternative views. Do not rely on just one Web site that promotes a particular point of view unless that is the only point of view you want to know about.
Content
As you examine the information in the document, consider these points:
- Accuracy/Verifiability of Information
- Is the content free of grammatical, spelling, and other errors? (This indicates, minimally, that the writing was done with care by someone with a basic level of education.)
- If there is advertising on the site, is it clearly distinguished from the information content?
- Does the advertising have an effect on the content?
- Are the sources of factual information fully cited so that they can be verified?
- Are the sources appropriate for the information presented? For example, if you are seeking accurate demographic information about the United States, it is best to go to the official site (http://www.census.gov) rather than relying on data from an unofficial source.
- Is the information consistent with other published information on your topic?
- Note: Be wary of the accuracy of a document if no date is on it,
if there is an old date on information known to change rapidly, or
if a very one-sided view is presented. (Harris, par.19)
- Tone and Style of Writing
- Does the writing seem balanced and fair?
- Does the author's point of view seem impartial and objective?
- Is the tone of the source calm, reasoned, and not highly emotional?
- Note: Be wary if the tone is angry, critical, and hateful, the content may be irrational, unreasonable, and unfair. (Harris, par.20)
- Does the author make vague, sweeping generalizations without offering documentation? Assumptions should be reasonable and should be based on intelligent interpretation of facts.
- Author's Knowledge of the Literature
- Does the author refer to the work of other authors within the document, or is there a reference list (bibliography) to support arguments presented in the document?
- If the topic is controversial, does the author acknowledge or respond to opposing views?
- Where did the author obtain his/her information - from original research, experiments, observations, interviews, other books and documents?
- If the document is a research document, does the author explain the research methodology (so that the study may be replicated) and present the data gathered?
- Are the author's conclusions warranted by the facts and other evidence presented?
- Does the site achieve its purpose and cover the subject adequately?
- Is the breadth and depth of information presented sufficient?
- Are there inexplicable omissions?
- If its purpose is to explore a controversial issue, are all sides presented?
- What is the value of this site in comparison to other information available on this topic?
- Ask a librarian for help in finding other sources.
- Is the information limited to a certain time period?
- This is very important to understand when using databases, for example. Some databases only index articles from the last 3-5 years. However, if your research need requires you to examine articles written during the Vietnam War, you would need to look in a print index in the library that covers the years of the war.
- Is the resource archived, that is, can you view older editions or issues?
- Are links to other relevant sites provided so that you may find more information?
- Are the links made in such a way that it is clear that an external site is being referred to?
Currency
If you need current information, your resources should present the most
recent information available on a topic. For many questions, the World Wide
Web is the best place to go for the latest facts. However, the user must
be wary and not always assume that this is the case. Here are some questions
to ask:
- When was the document created?
- When was it last updated?
- If it is updated, does the information in the resource correspond to the update date?
- Is there a copyright date?
- Is the site based on a print version? If so, is the copyright date for the print version listed?
- Note: The online version is not always more current than the print version. In fact, the material may be from a print work that is out of copyright (this is often true of a dictionary or similar reference work.)
- Hint: Use the "Page Info" feature in the "View" menu on Netscape to help determine the date if no date is given in the site.
- If the site contains a bibliography, do at least some of the works cited have recent copyright dates? If the site contains links to other sites, are they up-to-date and useable?
Workability
The convenience and effectiveness of a particular site will affect
your use of it. To determine this, ask:
- Is it easy to use?
- Is the information organized logically?
- Is there an easy-to-locate table of contents or index?
- Is the entire site searchable by an effective search engine?
- Is a "help" system available?
- Do the graphics and icons help to clarify the information presented?
- Is it visually appealing and easy to read?
- Can you locate a particular page from any other page?
- Is it reliable (not frequently overloaded or shut-down)?
- Is the speed of loading acceptable?
Works Cited
Harris, Robert. "Evaluating Internet Research Sources." 17 November
1997. Virtual Salt. Online. Internet. [26 February 2003]. Available WWW: http://www.virtualsalt.com/evalu8it.htm
Exercises and worksheets for Web evaluation
You may want to use some of these to sharpen your evaluation skills.
Everhart, Nancy. "Web Evaluation Worksheet." 1996. Online. Internet.
[26 February 2003]. Available WWW: http://www.duke.edu/~de1/evaluate.html
Grassian, Esther, and Diane Zwemer. "Hoax? Scholarly Research? Personal Opinion? You Decide!" 6 May 1998. UCLA College Library. Online. Internet. [26 February 2003]. Available WWW: http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college/help/hoax/
Henderson, J. and M. Poulin. "ICYouSee: T is for Thinking." [26 February 2003]. Ithaca College Library. Online. Internet. [01 July 1999]. Available WWW: http://www.ithaca.edu/library/Training/hott.html
Jones, Debra. Exploring the Internet Using Critical Thinking Skills:
A Self-Paced Workbook for Learning to Effectively Use the Internet and Evaluate
Online Information. New York: Neal-Schuman, 1998.
(Call Number in the Christopher Center: Ref ZA4201.J66 1998)
Added July 2000
Peterson, Billie. "Checklist for Evaluation of Information." September
1997. Online. Internet. [26 February 2003]. Available WWW: http://www3.baylor.edu/~Billie_Peterson/checklist.html
Kathy Schrock has created critical evaluation surveys for students to use
at the elementary, middle, and secondary school levels.
Schrock, Kathy. "Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators: Critical Evaluation
Information." Online. Internet. [26 February 2003]. Available WWW:
http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/eval.html
Links to further sites on Web evaluation
"Evaluating Web Resources"
http://www2.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/webevaluation/webeval.htm"Thinking Critically About World Wide Web Resources"
http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college/help/critical/"Thinking Critically About Discipline-Based World Wide Web Resources"
http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college/help/critical/discipline.htm"Evaluating Internet Research Sources"
http://www.virtualsalt.com/evalu8it.htm"Evaluating Information Found on the Internet"
http://www.library.jhu.edu/elp/useit/evaluate/"Testing the Surf: Criteria for Evaluating Internet Information Resources"
http://info.lib.uh.edu/pr/v8/n3/smit8n3.html"Evaluating Quality on the Net"
http://www.hopetillman.com/findqual.html
Sites useful for evaluating print resources
"How to Critically Analyze Information Sources"
http://www.library.cornell.edu/okuref/research/skill26.htm
Bibliography for evaluating Web resources
Alexander, Jan, and Marsha Tate. "Checklist for an Advocacy
Web Page." 8 April 1998. Wolfgram Memorial Library, Widener
University. Online. Internet. [26 February 2003]. Available WWW:
http://www2.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/webevaluation/advoc.htm
---. "Checklist for a Business/Marketing Web Page."
8 April 1998. Wolfgram Memorial Library, Widener University. Online. Internet.
[26 February 2003]. Available WWW:
http://www2.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/webevaluation/busmark.htm
---. "Checklist for an Informational Home Page."
24 June 1999. Wolfgram Memorial Library, Widener University. Online. Internet.
[26 February 2003]. Available WWW:
http://www2.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/webevaluation/inform.htm
---. "Checklist for a News Home Page." 24 June
1999. Wolfgram Memorial Library, Widener University. Online. Internet.[26
February 2003]. Available WWW:
http://www2.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/webevaluation/news.htm
---. "Checklist for a Personal Home Page." 8
April 1998. Wolfgram Memorial Library, Widener University. Online. Internet.
[26 February 2003] Available WWW:
http://www2.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/webevaluation/perspg.htm
---. "Evaluating Web Resources." 30 May 1997.
Wolfgram Memorial Library, Widener University. Online. Internet. [26 February
2003]. Available WWW:
http://www2.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/webevaluation/webeval.htm
Beck, Susan E. "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, or Why It's
a Good Idea to Evaluate Web Sources." 9 May 1998. New Mexico
State University Library. Online. Internet. [26 February 2003]. Available
WWW:
http://lib.nmsu.edu/instruction/eval.html
"Evaluating Print and Electronic Sources." 24
October 1997. YSU Grant Team. Online. Internet. [26 February 2003]. Available
WWW:
http://karn.wright.edu/~sg-ysu/eval.html
Everhart, Nancy. "Web Evaluation Worksheet." 1996.
Online. Internet. [26 February 2003]. Available WWW:
http://www.duke.edu/~de1/evaluate.html
Ewing, Keith. "Evaluating Information Resources." 25
May 1998. St. Cloud State. Online. Internet. [26 February 2003]. Available
WWW:
http://lrs.stcloudstate.edu/cim/courses/im577/sourceval.html
Grassian, Esther. "Thinking Critically About Discipline-Based
World Wide Web Resources." 13 November 1997. UCLA College
Library. Online. Internet. [26 February 2003]. Available WWW:
http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college/help/critical/discipline.htm
---. "Thinking Critically About World Wide Web Resources."
5 May 1998. UCLA College Library. Online. Internet. [26 February
2003]. Available WWW:
http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college/help/critical/
Grassian, Esther, and Diane Zwemer. "Hoax? Scholarly Research?
Personal Opinion? You Decide!" 6 May 1998. UCLA College Library.
Online. Internet. [26 February 2003]. Available WWW:
http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college/help/hoax/
Harris, Robert. "Evaluating Internet Research Sources." 17 November 1997. Virtual Salt. Online. Internet. [26 February 2003]. Available WWW: http://www.virtualsalt.com/evalu8it.htm
Henderson, J. and M. Poulin. "ICYouSee: T is for Thinking."
10 June 1998. Ithaca College Library. Online. Internet. [26 February 2003].
Available WWW:
http://www.ithaca.edu/library/Training/hott.html
Hinchliffe, Lisa Janicke. "Evaluation of Information."
29 May 1997. Online. Internet. [26 February 2003]. Available WWW:
http://alexia.lis.uiuc.edu/~janicke/Eval.html
Jacobson, Trudi, and Laura Cohen. "Evaluating Internet Resources."
April 1996. University at Albany Libraries. Online. Internet. [26 February
2003]. Available WWW:
http://library.albany.edu/internet/evaluate.html
Jones, Debra. Exploring the Internet Using Critical Thinking
Skills: A Self-Paced Workbook for Learning to Effectively Use the Internet
and Evaluate Online Information.New York: Neal-Schuman, 1998.
(Available in the Chrisopher Center- Call Number ZA4201.J66 1998)
Kirk, Elizabeth. "Evaluating Information Found on the Internet."
5 March 1998. Milton S. Eisenhower Library, Johns Hopkins University. Online.
Internet. [26 February 2003].
Available WWW:http://www.library.jhu.edu/elp/useit/evaluate/
---. "Practical Steps In Evaluating Internet Resources."
31 October 1997. Milton's Web. Online. Internet. [26 February 2003].
Available WWW:
http://www.library.jhu.edu/elp/useit/evaluate/practical.html
Leita, Carole. "Evaluating Internet Resources: a Checklist."
January-March 1996. California State Library InFo People Project. Online.
Internet. [26 February 2003]. Available WWW:
http://www.infopeople.org/howto/bkmk/select.html
Lutgens, Karen. "Evaluating Internet Resources."
15 December 1997. Milner Library, Illinois State University. Online. Internet.
[26 February 2003]. Available WWW:
http://www.mlb.ilstu.edu/ressubj/subject/intrnt/evaluate.htm
Rettig, James. "Beyond Cool: Analog Models for Reviewing Digital
Resources." September 1996. Online Inc. Online. Internet.
[26 February 2003]. Available WWW:
http://www.onlinemag.net/SeptOL/rettig9.html
Richmond, Betsy. "Ten C's for Evaluating Internet Resources."
20 November 1996. McIntyre Library, University of Wisconsin-Eau
Claire. Online. Internet. [26 February 2003]. Available WWW:
http://www.uwec.edu/library/Guides/tencs.html
Smith, Alastair. "Criteria for Evaluating Internet Information
Resources." 2 March 1997. VUW Department of Library and Information
Studies, New Zealand. Online. Internet. [26 February 2003]. Available WWW:
http://www.vuw.ac.nz/~agsmith/evaln/evaln.htm
---. "Testing the Surf: Criteria for Evaluating Internet Information
Resources." The Public-Access Computer Systems Review 8, no.
3 (1997) 1-13. Online. Internet. [26 February 2003]. Available WWW:
http://info.lib.uh.edu/pr/v8/n3/smit8n3.html
Tate, Marsha, and Jan Alexander. "Teaching Critical Evaluation Skills for World Wide Web Resources." Computers in Libraries, Nov./Dec. 1996, v.16, #10, pp. 49-52, 54-55.
Tillman, Hope N. "Evaluating Quality on the Net." 13
November 1997. Babson College. Online. Internet. [26 February 2003]. Available
WWW:
http://www.hopetillman.com/findqual.html
Additions
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