Amanda Bannigan
Web Evaluation Form
Pick the RIGHT Web Site!!
Before using any internet
site for research, it is important to verify the information on that sight, and
more importantly, briefly analyze the site itself. Before deciding to use any internet site for
any assignments, use the following guidelines to check the validity of the site
you have chosen.
1-WHO? & WHERE?
Who has posted this page?
-Is there a specific author listed or is
the site posted by an organization?
-If it is an organization, have you ever
heard of it before?
-Can
you contact the organization in some manner other than e-mail?
-Is
there an address or phone number provided?
Where is this information coming from?
-Check the “url” on
the page. Is this a “.com”, “.gov”, or “.edu” site?
- Are there any advertisements on the
page that could indicate sponsorship?
Why is this important?
If you are unsure who posted the information you are citing, there is no way to tell if the information should be relied upon. Even if you can find a source, it is important to be able to distinguish from a personal homepage and a page sponsored by a larger organization
2- WHAT?
What type of information is this page offering?
Is it facts or opinions?
Are there sources given for sites that
claim to be factual?
If
yes, check out those sites, do they also meet the reliability criterion?
Why is this important?
It is important to know what type of information the page is offering. If you are reading biased information and assuming that it is fact, or that it is the only opinion offered, you may run into some errors.
3- WHEN?
When it was created (Is there a date given?)
Is there any information about the page
being updated?
Why is this important?
Knowing how current the information you are using is can help you to decide if the page is one you really want to use. For example, if you are researching stem-cell research, you would want to access sites with the most up-to-date information, not out-dated information that has since been proved incorrect, or is no longer being used.
4- WHY?
Why is this information even on the
internet?
- Does this information have a purpose?
- Does it attempt to explain something (ex- a political
position or a process)?
- Is the information propaganda
promoting one cause?
-
Can you find another site professing the opposite view?
Why is this important?
The reason behind why information is posted can help you to determine its validity. If a site is entitled “George Bush Kills Dogs” and proceeds to advocate why you should vote for John Kerry, you might want to consider whether this is factual information of propaganda posted by a Bush hater or a Kerry supporter.
5- HOW?
How is the information presented?
- Is it listed by bullets or given in
paragraphs with citations?
Are there images?
- Do they help the argument of the author
or do they seem frivolous?
- Are the images themselves reliable or do
they seem doctored?
Why is this important?
Presentation matters! If someone does not have much to say or anything accurate to say, they may distract you with color, big headlines, and pictures. You want to make sure you are choosing sites based on their content, not on their flashiness!
6- NAVIGATION!
Is this site easy to access and use?
How are various topics listed?
- Do they have special links or are they
part of the larger document?
Do links given to support information work?
- If they do work, what is the quality of
that page?
- Does the linked page link you back to the
original page?
Why is this important?
If you are looking for a site with information, you want to be able to access it and not get jumbled up with where the information is actually located. The more user friendly the site, the better!
(to print this information- copy and paste the text into a word processing document)
A lot of this can seem very confusing, so here is
an example. Click on the following two
links. Decide whether they would pass
this evaluation or fail. Once you have
made your decision, scroll down and find my analysis. See how you match up!
GOOD SITE : The CIA page passes the evaluation with flying colors!
- The page is posted by the CIA and has a “.gov” URL
- There is a “Contact Us” page with various methods to contact the CIA
- There are no sponsors for the page
- The page offers factual information which can be trusted because of the source
- The purpose of the site is to inform citizens
- There is a place where the date of update is located
- The site does not offer any biased opinions
- The information is clearly organized with no unnecessary graphics or flashy text
* This site would be recommended if researching the CIA or American Government*
BAD SITE : The Anti-Bush page would not be recommended for scholarly research!
- This site is posted and maintained by a 14 year old boy
- You are able to contact him through e-mail only
- “Information”, quotes, and images are isolated and taken out of context
- The site uses charts, but their sources are not offered
- Links provided by the page so not link back to this main site
- This site is heavily biased against George Bush
- Any information on the site would need to be further analyzed in order to
determine its truth and validity
* This site would not be recommended to use as 100% factual information on Bush*
GOOD
LUCK WITH YOUR ADVENTURES ON THE WEB!!