Thinking critically about World Wide Web Resources:
Questions to reflect upon....
Information Quality Checklist
These questions are based on traditional selection and evaluation criteria used by librarians to determine the quality of reference resources. To score, allow 1 point for each "yes" and 0 points for each "no" answer. There are 28 possible points.
SCORE |
WEB SITE |
23 - 28 points |
Excellent |
18- 22 points |
Good |
14 - 17 points |
Could have specialized uses |
15 or less points |
Of dubious value |
Web Site Title: ........................... |
Content Area: ........................... |
URL: ........................... |
Date Reviewed: ........................... |
1. SCOPE AND CONTENT
a) Is the purpose of the site to provide information?
b) Is the information accurate and comprehensive?
c) Does the web site offer something that is not easily available in other sources?
d) Is the information primary (as opposed to secondary) in nature?
e) Do the pages include links to support the ideas?
f) Are the links relevant and appropriate for the site?
g) Is the web site outward-directed in its linking (as opposed to inward-focused - misinformation is often self-referencing)?
h) Have people you respect (friends, teachers, etc..) recommended the site?
2. AUDIENCE / INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN
a) Is the level of the site suited to the specific audience?
b) Is the material age-appropriate?
3. AUTHOR
a) Is the author a recognized expert in the area?
b) Is the page linked to another high quality page you are familiar with?
c) Does the web site provide author information, including institutional affiliation, position and address.
d) Is an e-mail address included to contact the author?
4. AUTHORITY / PUBLISHING BODY
NOTE: As commercial activity increases on the web, marketing increases too. Many "information" sites are in fact thinly disguised (if hidden at all) public relations efforts created by corporations. Look carefully at the URL of the site to determine possible commercial interest. Suffixes can indicate the origin of a web site, e.g. ".com" indicates a commercial site, ".edu" a site created at and maintained by an educational institution, etc.
a) Is there an official organization that has taken credit for the site?
b) Is the web site free of inherent bias, e.g. affiliation to a religious or political group.
5. CURRENCY
a) Can you tell when the site was created?
b) Has it been updated since its creation?
c) Are the links provided on the web site reliable and/or up to date?
6. STYLE
a) Are the sources documented in a scholarly bibliography and/or connected by hyper links?
b) If the document is a research page, is there an explanation of the data, the methods used to gather the data and interpretation of the data?
c) Are editorial comments presented as such?
d) Are opposing viewpoints acknowledged respectfully?
e) Does the text follow basic rules of grammar, spelling and literary composition?
7. APPEARANCE AND EASE OF USE
a) Is the web site user-friendly (easy to navigate and find specific information)?
b) Is the information presented clearly and logically?
c) Does the web site follow good graphic design principles? (Legible font, functional layout, etc.)
d) Do graphics and/or hypermedia add to (as opposed to detract from) the quality of the site?
Evaluating Internet Resources: Additional Useful Guidelines
