Evaluating+Website+Criteria


 * EVALUATING WEB PAGES**

Research materials in both print and non-print formats must be evaluated for their usefulness, reliability, and appropriateness. In print resources, established criteria such as reputable publishers, peer-reviewed articles from scholarly journals, and papers from recognized authorities in a particular subject area, are often used to establish the quality of the information.

Because there are no formal standard for web page development, web page evaluation is even more critical. Latest figures estimate the number of web pages at 320+ million with an expected growth rate of over 1000 percent in the next few years. Unfortunately, it is often more difficult to evaluate information found on the web because of the increasing growth rate, lack of overall organization, and fact that anyone can “publish” a web page. Understanding the types of web pages that are available and what kind of information to use to evaluate them will enable effective and appropriate use of web page resources. e.g. The Democratic Party, [] The Republican Party, [] e.g. Microsoft, [] Coca Cola, [] e.g. The University of New Hampshire, [] National Library of Medicine, [] e.g. CNN, [] USA Today, [] e.g. Ron Henry’s Home Page, [|http://people2.clarityconnect.com/webpages6/~ronhenry/]
 * __ Types of Web Pages __**
 * Advocacy: ** These pages attempt to influence public opinion. Their web address frequently ends with **.org** (organization).
 * Marketing/Business: ** These pages are sponsored by a commercial body and are used primarily to promote and sell products. Their web address frequently ends with **.com** (commercial).
 * Informational: ** These pages present factual information. Educational institutions or government agencies often sponsor these pages. Their web addresses end with **.edu** (education) and **.gov** (government), respectively.
 * News: ** These pages present extremely current information. Their web address often ends with **.com**.
 * Personal ** : These pages are published by an individual who may or may not be affiliated with a larger institution or organization. Their web address may have a variety of endings (.com, .edu, etc.) and will frequently include a tilde (~).

The URL or address of a web page often carries information about the source of the information. There are 5 primary domains for U.S. pages:
 * __ Types of Web Page Address (URL) Domains __**
 * .edu (education) || Ranges from serious research to student pages ||
 * .gov (government) || Factual information, usually reliable ||
 * .org (organization) || Not-for-profit organizations, usually advocacy pages ||
 * .com (commercial) || Commercial sites that usually promote or sell products ||
 * .net (network) || Network providers that include both commercial and individual sites ||
 * __ Critieria for Evaluation __**
 * Author/Sponsorship ** : Determine the author or sponsor of the page. Look for credentials of the author and contact information, including email address, phone number and postal address. From the author’s credentials provided, determine if they are qualified to write this page. Look at the URL for the domain provider in the URL. Visit the home page for the site that hosts the information.
 * Accuracy ** : Check the page for accurate information.
 * Coverage/Scope ** : Determine the intended audience for this page. What is the depth of coverage for the information presented? Is the purpose of the page to inform, explain, persuade, market a product, or advocate a cause?
 * Objectivity ** : Determine if the materials is presented without any political, ideological, cultural, religious, or institutional biases. Check for any conflicts of interest.
 * Currency ** : Determine when this page was created or last revised. Determine how often the material on the page is updated. Is the material current and up-to-date? Determine if the page is complete or still “under construction.” Do the hypertext links on this page send you to active web pages?
 * Other ** : Determine if this page requires any special software to use the material on the web page. Is the material only accessible via a subscription? Many web pages have usable information, but is not freely available. This is often called “hidden information, since many web search engines cannot access these pages. Also be prepared to find the pages that blend their presentation to include information, entertainment, and advertising. These pages require careful critical evaluation.


 * See also,** RMS Web Page Evaluation Rubric

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