Criteria Used in Evaluating Web Resources
Five traditional criteria, used to determine the quality of print information in libraries, can also be
applied to the evaluation of web resources:
Criteria 1: Accuracy
To determine how reliable and free from error the information contained on a website is, remember to look
at who is hosting the site. Is it a University, a government, a professional association, a commercial
host, an advocacy group, a publisher? What are their biases? A good website should state its purpose and
intended audience. It is always a good idea to check with other web resources, journals or magazines that
publish website reviews to see if the site has received a stamp of approval, and if so, by whom. Always
remember to verify the information on the website with information found in other print and/or web-based
sources.
Criteria 2: Authority
To determine the authorship of a website, examine the page closely for information about the author and to
see if anyone else has contributed to the site. Check information on the WebPages to see if it includes
references. A good website should provide a way to contact the producers of the site. Identify the type of
Webpage i.e. educational, professional, personal, advocacy, advertising, etc. Determine where they are
getting their information. Check to see if the author or contributor to a Webpage has published in print.
If so, do these print sources provide you with additional information on who he/she is and their
qualifications? Check to see if the author(s) have created other websites. See if the other websites
provide more information about the author(s).
Criteria 3: Objectivity
To determine the objectivity of a website, check if advertising and informational content are being
supplied by the same person or organization. If so, examine whether there is a bias to the informational
content. Keep in mind that many websites with excellent information are sponsored by commercial entities or
take advertisements to finance the website.
Criteria 4: Currency
To determine the currency of a website, find out when the page was last updated. Also look to see if there
are broken links on the site, it could be an indication of an abandoned page. You should also check to see
how often new links appear on the site.
Criteria 5: Coverage
To determine if the information is adequately covered on a website, compare the information with
information found on other websites. Does one site provide more information, more references, more
contacts? Also compare the information on the website with information available in print sources such as
books, journals, reports, etc. (if available).
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