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Getting Critical: How to determine if a Web site is GOOD or BAD
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Criteria |
Reasons / Rationale |
How can you tell? |
AUTHORITY
- Is the author or creator of the site identified?
- Is there an "About Us" link?
- Is there contact information for this person or organization who created this site?
- Is the author or site associated with an educational institution or other reputable organization?
- Have you ever heard of the organization?
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- Sometimes it's hard to determine who created the Web site.
- Unlike databases, books, newspapers and magazines, Web pages rarely have editors or proof-readers
- The Internet is a free-for-all, with no standards whatsoever
- ANYONE can create a Web page!
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- Look for information at the top or bottom of the Web page/site to tell you who is responsible for the information
- Is there a link to the main Web site or home page or the group, school, or organization hosting this Web page?
- What might the Web page extension tell you about the site - .com, .edu, .k12, .gov, .net, org?
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ACCURACY
- Are there errors (spelling or other) on the Web site/page?
- Can you find when it was created or last updated?
- Is there a bibliography related to the research?
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- Remember - ANYONE can create a Web page! If you can't
find any references to other reliable resources (bibliography; contact info; current dates)
then it may be too good to be true!
- Just because a Web page/site LOOKS GOOD, does not mean it is REAL!
- There are currently no standards to create Web pages
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- Look at the Web page/site closely to see if there are
errors or missing links
- Also see if you can find a bibliography.
- Do you think it's a hoax?
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CONTENT/COVERAGE
- Does the information relate to your topic - is it relevant?
- How detailed is the information?
- Is it detailed enough to be used for your research project?
- Do you think it will be useful for this project? Will it help answer your Essential Question?
- How in-depth do you feel this material is? Is it too simple?
- Are there related links available?
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Sometimes (a lot of times) Web pages are created just for fun.
They may cover the topic you are researching, but it is just their hobby.
- Things put up on a Web page often differ from the material
that is in books. Remember there are no "fact-checkers" for Web pages!
- Without extensive knowledge yourself, it is hard to tell
how great the coverage is sometimes.
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- Click on all the links available on the page you landed on.
If there are no links to other pages, or if the links are to completely unrelated information,
then your page/site may not be relevant.
- Completely evaluate the site using the Web site Evaluation Rubric
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OBJECTIVITY / BIAS
- Does the site present an objective point of view?
- Do you detect bias?
- Do the facts try to sway your opinion in one way or another?
- Are there advertisements or links to sponsors?
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- Content of the page may be influenced by advertisers or sponsors
- Author's goals are not clearly stated (no "About Us" page)
- Web "Blogs" are personal "soapboxes" for
individuals - even famous ones!
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- Read the "About Us" page if there is one
- Does the author or organization explain what their mission or philosophy is?
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CURRENCY
- Is there a date anywhere on the page?
- Can you find the copyright, publication, revision, or "last updated" date?
- Are there broken links?
- How current is the information on the Web page?
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- Pages with broken links may indicate that the page(s) are not being updated regularly
- Try to find out what the date means: is it a first
page, a revision, or when it was first published to the Web?
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- Dates can usually be found on the top or bottom of the Web page
- Sometimes you have to go back to the root/home page of the Web address to get to the home page to find date information
- I would be leery of a page with no dates at all!
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