1. By Mrs. Rannow
http://www.liveoutloudproductionstudio.com/webdesignimages/website-evaluation.jpg

2.  You should be checking 5 things to determine if a
website will be valuable to your research:
Currency
Authority
Accuracy
Relevance
Point of View

3. On a Good Page: On a Bad Page:
It was produced  The page was not
recently. produced recently.
The page was not
It was updated updated recently.
recently.  The links are not
The links are current. current.
There are few or no  Many links are dead.
dead links. The information on the
page is outdated.
The information on the
page is up-to-date.

4. On a Good Page: On a Bad Page:
The author is separate  The webmaster is the
from the webmaster. only name listed, if any are
The site is hosted by a listed at all.
reputable group (.gov,  The site is not hosted by
.edu) a reputable group.
 The site is not sponsored
The site is sponsored
by a known group or
by a recognized group
organization.
or organization.
 The source is unreliable.
The source of the
information is reliable.  If there is an author, no
credentials are listed.
The site has received
awards.

5. On a Good Page: On a Bad Page:
You can find the author.  You can’t figure out
who wrote the
The information is
information.
accurate.
 The information is not
The document was accurate.
written for informational  The document was
purposes. written to inflame or
The author is qualified to incite.
write about the topic.  The person writing the
There is a way to contact document does not have
the author. expertise in the field.
 If there is an author,
there is no way to contact

6. On a Good Page: On a Bad Page:
The title of the page  The title does not
clearly represents the represent the contents.
contents.  The links do not match
The links make sense on the content of the page.
the page.  There are more images
than text.
There is a balance  The information is not
between the text and the cited.
images.  The information is not
There is a bibliography. accurate and/or does not
The page contains match your purpose.
accurate information that is
useful for your purpose.

7. On a Good Page: On a Bad Page:
The information provides  The information is
both points of view. slanted.
 You can verify the  You can’t verify the
information elsewhere. information is factual.
 Opinions are expressed
 If there are opinions in an inflammatory way.
expressed, they are expressed  The site is a mask for
in such a way as not to be advertising.
inflammatory.  Those that link to the
The site is not a mask for site are not reputable.
advertising.
Other people and
organizations who link to the
site are reputable.

8. Currency: If your page is current and updated regularly and the
links are up-to-date and…
Authority: If your page lists the author’s credentials and its
domain is a preferred one and…
Accuracy: If your page lists an author who is qualified and who can
be contacted and has information that fits your purpose and…
Relevance: The title and links make sense on the page, there is a
bibliography and accurate information with a balance of pictures
and…
Point of View: If your page provides unbiased information with
limited advertising and it presents both points of view then…

9. Kapoun, Jim. "Teaching undergrads WEB evaluation: A guide for library
instruction." C&RL News (July/August 1998): 522-523