Anyone with a computer and
access to server space can put up a web page. There are few restrictions and
even fewer established guidelines as to what an author can or cannot put up
on a web page. Thus, in order to do effective research and publish responsibly
on the World Wide Web, researchers and authors need to investigate and critically
approach the author's (or their own) intentions, credibility, and bias, the
reliability of the information presented, the interface (how the graphics and
text look), and the ease with which the site can be navigated. Listed below
are questions to assist you in your evaluation of web sites and/or to assist
you in creating your own web page.
Author/Credibility (top)
- Who is the author or producer?
- What is the authority or expertise of the individual or group that created
this site?
- With what organization is the author of the web site affiliated?
- What is the bias of the author/producer/organization?
- What are the reasons to assume that the author is an authority on the subject?
- Is there a way to contact the author or supply feedback?
Reliability of Information (top)
- Who is the expected audience?
Are the content and the links clearly described and suitable for the expected
audience?
- What is the primary purpose of the site (e.g., advertising, information)?
- Is a date of publication provided? When was the web site last revised?
- How complete and accurate are the information and the links provided?
- Are excerpts from texts provided or are entire texts available on the site?
- Does the information contradict something you already know or have learned
from another source?
- Is a bibliography of print or web resources included?
- Has the site been reviewed or ranked by an on-line reviewing agency
Interface
(top)
- Is the site conceptually
exciting? Does it do more than can be done with print?
- Do the graphics and art serve a function or are they decorative?
- Does the text follow basic rules of grammar, spelling, and composition?
- Are the individual web pages concise, or do you have to scroll forever?
- Are the graphics or multimedia included simply to show off, or do they add
to the content of the page?
Navigating the Site (top)
- Can you find your way
around and easily locate a particular page from any other page?
- How up-to-date are the links? Do all the links work?
- Do parts of it take too long to load?
- Are the links primarily external or internal?
- Does the site contain links to other resources?
- Is it open to everyone on the Internet, or do parts require fees?
- Is there a text alternative? Text-only? Can you turn off the graphics?
APPLES (an acronym for Accuracy, Player(s), Perspective,
Links, Evidence, Sources).
When it comes to evaluating web pages, think APPLES (top)
Check Accuracy: The whole problem is to determine if the information is accurate. The best way to do this is to find other sources that give the same or similar information. Backing-up you sources is a good practice in any research venue. Beyond back-up sources, you should check the credentials of the writer(s), investigate the perspective (bias) of the site, check the links at the site (and to the site), evaluate the kinds of evidence, and review the kinds of sources used to document the web site.
Check Player(s): If a resource is offering specialized information, the site builder should have the credentials to support the information. If not, the writer should supply documentation of the source of the information. Yet you should also look beyond who wrote the page to who is sponsoring the page. Is it a commercial site (.com)? A nonprofit site (.org)? An educational site (.edu)?
Check Perspective: Most web sites have a perspective or advocate something. They may be trying to sell a product, gain support for a cause, or cha ge the views of the reader (or may be just having fun). Does the perspective add to or take away from the credibility of the information?
Check Links: A good resource will supply links to other resources. Do the links support your resource? If yes, are the sources at the ends of the links good ones?
Check Evidence: A good resource will have detailed evidence and will offer different kinds of evidence (authority, definitions, statistics, examples). Does your source do so?
Check Sources: A good resource will list the sources of any evidence.
Does your source do so? If yes, are the sources good ones?
Additional
Resources (top)
- Evaluating
Internet Sources <http://twist.lib.uiowa.edu/resources/evaluate.html>
- Evaluation
of Information Sources <http://www.vuw.ac.nz/~agsmith/evaln/evaln.htm>
- The
Web as a Research Tool: Evaluation Techniques <http://www2.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/webeval.htm>
- An
Educator's Guide to Credibility and Web Evaluation <http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/wp/credibility/index.html>
- Critical
Thinking in an Online World <http://www.library.ucsb.edu/untangle/jones.html>