Kim Prati

SLM-521

Submitted 4/27/06

Web Site Evaluation Checklist

The Internet is a vast sea of information. Anyone can publish a web page so it’s important to be able to determine the validity and reliability of the information that you find on the web.

Assignment: To illustrate the range and quality of content on the web review some of the web pages listed below. Then, choose two of the pages and use the checklist to help evaluate your web resources. How do the two sample sites compare? Which site(s) have the least bias?

Award Citizenship to Legal, Not Illegal Immigrants

http://www.minutemanhq.com/state/read.php?chapter=MD&sid=131

The Press and Illegal Immigration

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,193184,00.html

Justice for Immigrants: Learn the Issues

http://www.justiceforimmigrants.org/myths.html

Comprehensive Immigration Reform

http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/immigration/

Truth Out Editorial: Today's Immigration Battle

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/033106H.shtml

Alderman: Stop Immigration Crackdown

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-immi27.html

 

 

URL: ________________________________________________________________________

 

Site Information
  1. Is this someone’s personal page? ____Yes ____No
  • What type of domain is it?

    • ____ Educational (.edu)

    ____ Nonprofit (.org)

    ____ Government (.gov, .mil, .us or other county code)

    ____ Commercial (.com)
  • Who published the site? ________________________________________

    • Was it published by the source? (i.e. The Washington Post) _____Yes _____ No
  • Is there more information provided about the site? (Review the truncated URL)

    • _____ "About Us" section of the site

    _____ "Philosophy/Mission" section of the site

     

     

     

    About the Author
  • Is there a linked biography or list of the author's credentials? ____Yes _____No
    		•
  • Why did he/she write this page?

    • ____ to inform

    ____ to sell

    ____ to persuade

    ____ other
  • What is the tone of the article?

    • _____ fair, presents more that one side

    _____ biased or one-sided

    _____ humorous, tongue-in-cheek, satirical
  • Includes bibliography or documented sources?_____Yes _____No
    		•
  • When was it last updated?

    • _____ within the last year?

    _____ 2-5 years

    _____over 5 years

     

     

     

    Further Investigation
    1. Get more information by typing in the URL in www.alexa.com to find out about traffic, review and links to and from the site.
  • Look up the author's name in www.google.com or www.yahoo.com
    		•

     

     

     

    Overall Assessment
    1. Who do you think the site is targeted to?

      2. _____ educators/students

      _____ consumers

      _____ members of a political party
  • Why do you think the page/site was created? What is it's purpose?
    		•
  • Does your gut reaction tell you the article is valid or genuine? Why?
    		•