Evaluating WWW Resources

Contents:

• Three Reasons to Evaluate

• The CARS Checklist

• Authority
• Common Domain Names Chart
• Authority Exercise
• Content/Scope
• Accuracy/Reliability
• Currency
• Other Evaluation Considerations
• Currency Exercise: Last Updated
• Evaluate Using All Criteria Exercise
• ED 422/522 Evaluation Exercise
• Evaluating Health-Related Web Sites Exercise
• SLHS Evaluating Web Sites Exercise
• Questionable Web Sites
• Review Tools
• More Information

Why Evaluate?

Why do you need to evaluate WWW-based sources before using them in your research, essays, etc.? Because of the ever increasing QUANTITY of information on the Internet, and because of the varying degrees of QUALITY. WWW-based resources often are not peer-reviewed, or reviewed at all. More and more people are learning how to put up websites. You need to know how to tell what is good, useful information coming from a reputable site ... and what is not.

Three Reasons to Evaluate Internet Resources:

1. Anyone can (and probably will) put anything up on the Internet.

2. Unlike traditional print resources, web resources rarely have editors, fact-checkers, and are not usually peer-reviewed.

3. Currently, no web standards exist to ensure accuracy.

Consult the CARS Checklist at:


Harris, Robert. (2000). Evaluating Internet Research Sources (includes the CARS Checklist) [Online]. Available: http://www.virtualsalt.com/evalu8it.htm [2001, April 17].

Evaluation Criteria:

In general, consider the following when looking at each site:

Credibility

• Authority: Where does the information come from? Who is the author/creator? Who sponsors the site? (If this information isn't prominently displayed, you should QUESTION the source).
• Sponsorship:  Not only is the AUTHOR important, but so is the sponsor -- the company, educational institution, or organization that allows the web site to exist on its server.  
• Domain Name:   The three-digit code that tells you what type of sponsor it is -- such as .gov (government) and .com (commercial).

Accuracy

• Content/Scope/Purpose: How does the information compare to print resources? Is it meaningful and complete? Is the content appropriate for your research needs? What is the purpose of the site -- entertainment? persuasive? commercial? educational?
• Bias: What clues indicate possible bias or slant?
• Writing Style:  Look for spelling and grammatical errors.
• Currency: Is the information up-to-date? Can you locate the publication date or "Last Updated" date? Can you determine if the site is regularly updated/maintained?

Reasonableness

• Argument:  Is the argument reasonable or hotheaded or overdone?
• Tone:  Is the tone too argumentative and trying too hard?
• Language:  

Support

• Documentation?  Does the author site sources? List of References/Works Cited? 
• If it is original research, is there details of the methodology? experimental method? Details of the study, survey, instrument, data collection method?

The above chart is taken from -- http://www.virtualsalt.com/evalu8it.htm  

This workshop emphasizes Authority and Sponsorship; and Currency, but all of the criteria are important.

AUTHORITY and SPONSORSHIP

The BIG Question:

Who is the author or producer of the website? Who sponsors the site?

Questions to Consider

• Is the author qualified to write the article/information? Expertise?

• What is the author's occupation, education, experience, knowledge?

• Contact information for author?

• Is the site sponsored or co-sponsored by an individual or group that has created other Web sites?

• Is any sort of bias evident? Is the site trying to SELL or PROMOTE something? Motives? Intent?

Clues

• Look for the author's name near the top of the or at the very bottom of the site.

• Analyze and pull apart the URL (web address) for clues as to the company, institution, etc. behind the site. If necessary, go back one or two steps in the address. For example, if I found a document with the url:
  

http://www.tiac.net/users/hope/findqual.html

I could go back one step (or slash-mark) in the URL:

http://www.tiac.net/users/hope/

And I would find that this page is created by Hope Tillman. (Although most thoughtful webpage creators will make it easier to find their name, as she does).

I could even take it all the way back to the stem, by going to http://www.tiac.net, which is TIAC Net, an Internet access company (not an educational institution).

Now, a good webpage won't force you to go to these measures. A well-designed webpage with nothing to hide will give you this information readily. Usually, authorship or sponsorship will be evident at the top or bottom of a page.

• Look for an e-mail address, so you can contact the author for verification of info. This will usually appear near the top or bottom of the screen.
• Check the "header" information by clicking on "View" and then "Document Source" in Netscape. This gives you access to the "meta-data" that is hidden from the naked eye.
• Look at the "Domain Name" of the URL. This is the information before the first "slash" in the web address (URL). This always gives information about the type of company, institution, etc., that sponsors the site. For example:
  

Common Domain Names and Examples

For more information on Domain Names, see:

• What A Domain Name?
• ZD Net's Definition

Authority & Sponsorship Exercise

Visit the following web sites, which all involve the topic of "african american music," and find the author of the site. If an author is not available, try to locate the sponsor of the site, by analyzing the URL (web address) for domain name, as discussed above. Also look for the author's credentials:

1. Afrocentric Voices in Classical Music

2. The Blue Highway

3. Jazz Research In and Outside Academe

Visit the following web sites, which all involve the topic of Chicano/Chicana Culture, and find the author of the site. If an author is not available, try to locate the sponsor of the site, by analyzing the URL (web address) for domain name, as discussed above. Also look for the author's credentials:

1. Latino-Net Research Center
   
2. The Latino Ethnic Attitude Survey
   
3. Making Face, Making Soul: A Chicana Feminist Homepage
   

SLHS Students: Visit the following web sites, which all involve the topic of "language development," and find the author of the site. If an author is not available, try to locate the sponsor of the site, by analyzing the URL (web address) for domain name, as discussed above. Also look for the author's credentials:

1. Child Language Development
2. Children with Communicative Disorders: ERIC Digest
3. The Relationship Between Language and Learning Disabilities
4. Nurturing Oral Language Skills in Infants and Young Children

CONTENT/SCOPE/PURPOSE

The BIG Question:

Is the coverage in-depth enough for my needs? Is the content, scope, and purpose appropriate?

Questions to Consider:

• How does the information on the web site compare to print resources?
• How does it compare to other Internet resources?
• Is there a statement of purpose or coverage that details the site's SCOPE?
• What does this site offer that is not found elsewhere?
• How in-depth is the material?
• What's the tone? Is this serious, "real" information, or more "for fun"?
• What's the purpose? Educational, Persuasive, Commercial (Trying to sell something)?

Clues:

• It is often difficult to determine the extent of coverage or whether or not the information is unique - go with your instincts - and research skills.
• Compare the site to print and electronic information. Is the author glossing over information? Is this scholarship/research or just for fun?
• Much of what is on the Internet is about wanting to see something about ourselves "on the Net". Much of it is not worthy of our attention, but it somehow ends up on our computer screens.

ACCURACY and REASONABLENESS

The BIG Question:

Can you rely on this information?

Questions to Consider:

• Can you judge if the information is accurate and correct?
• Can you determine any possible bias or intent?
• Does the site document/cite other sources?
• Is there evidence of research, or is this just an opinion?

CURRENCY

The BIG Question:

• When was the document created?
• When was it last revised or updated?
• Is the information timely enough for your needs?

Clues:

• Look at the Document Info under "View" in Netscape.
• Look for a "Last updated" date at the beginning or end of document.

Examples and Exercises

The first step is to click on View located in your top menu bar in Netscape, then click "Document Info" or "Page Info" (depending upon your browser's version):

This is a sample from Moorhead State's homepage. It is the information you would get by clicking on "View" then selecting "Document Info":



Go to Minnesota State University, Moorhead's page and check this out for yourself by clicking on the "View" and then "Document Information" choices at the top of your file menu in Netscape.

Pay attention to the "Last Modified" information. This is when the website was last modified/updated. With this information, you can more easily judge the AUTHORITY, ACCURACY, and CURRENCY of the information on that site.

• Is the web site a scholarly resource -- or not?
• Go back to Authority criteria for author's credentials, background, affiliation, etc.
• Is the document mounted on an academic/research institution site?
• Does it cite other sources and give a References, Bibliography, or Works Cited section?
• Support:  Look for a Works Cited or list of References. Does the author use a standard documentation style that is easy to follow, such as MLA or APA? How current are the citations?
• Is this resource the original version? Or is it --
• Updated?
• Revised?
• Altered/Changed?
• Misquoted?
• Plagiarized?
• Is the author, resource, or sponsor objective?
• Is the page designed to influence or sway your opinion?
• Is it trying to sell you something?
• Does it contain advertising

• For more information on Objectivity see Susan Beck's article.

Exercise 1: Last Updated

Let's practice. You can go to the following sites and check the "Last Updated" Date by using the "View" then "Document Info" method. Also look for a "last updated" date at the top or bottom of the page. Compare these two dates when possible:

1. National Institutes of Health
2. C-SPAN's Booknotes
3. PBS Online
4. Monthly Catalog of Government Publications (MOCAT)
5. California's Velcro Crop Under Challenge (Who is Ken Umbach?)

SLHS Students: Use these web sites to find the "Last Updated" date. These sites have to do with aphasia.

1. Aphasia Fact Sheet
2. NIDCD: Aphasia
3. Freud's On Aphasia

The next example is from Oncolink Cancer News , which gives "revision date" information on the main page, which is helpful. It shows that the author is updating the material regularly, which speaks for the credibility and the timeliness of the site.

Many websites do not give you a clue about their coverage. In fact, the purpose of some websites is hard to discern. If the website you are using does not give a clear statement as to what its intent, purpose, scope, or coverage is, then you should question its usefulness for you. Link to the next site, LitLinks, which gives information about its scope/coverage in the first page, in the first paragraph. While not an extensive statement, it is enough to give you an idea about its appropriateness for your needs.

Exercise 2: Evaluate Using All Criteria

Link to the following websites and EVALUATE them based on--

• AUTHORITY and SPONSORSHIP (Look for an indication of authorship/sponsorship. Who's behind the site?)
• CURRENCY(Look for Last Updated information.)
• ACCURACY
• RELIABILITY (Look for the purpose/intent. Check the tone, language, and persuasion/argument style.)
• SUPPORT  (Look for evidence of research, citing sources)

Make notes and we will discuss.

Philosophy Sites (from Larry Schwartz, Collection Management Librarian, MSUM): http://www.mnstate.edu/schwartz/fred.htm Scroll down until you see "Philosophy"

 

Cloning Sites

1. Sheep cloning sparks controversy
2. Cloning Special Report (New Scientist)
3. Frankenstein: Promise and Peril
4. CLONAID
5. Clinton bars federal funds for human cloning research (CNN Interactive)

Various Health & Medical Research Related Sites

1. Performance Improvement, 1997
2. GenoChoice
3. Eating Right with the Dietary Guidelines
4. Cafe Herpes
5. Dieting Under Stress -- Pay attention to the tone and purpose...
6. High Cholesterol

 

Speech Language Hearing Sciences Sites (Aphasia-related)


1. Family Adjustment to Aphasia
2. NICDC Aphasia Site
3. Tips: Aphasia Hope Foundation
4. Following ER: Aphasia
5. New Advances in the Treatment of Aphasia
6. Characteristics of Adults with Specific Learning Disabilities

 

African-American Humanities Sites: Which are Research-Based?

1. The Art of Cullen Washington, Jr.
2. African-American Baseline Essay: Music
3. The Development of African-American Sheet Music, 1865-1910
4. Le Tumulte Noir
5. Remembering Slavery (Smithsonian)
6. Remembering Jim Crow
7. Afro-American Historical Almanac: Jim Crow

Education Sites

1. Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About Scholarship Programs
2. Ask Mr. Teacher
3. Helping Your Child Get Ready for School
4. Gail Wingfield's Resource Guide
5. Encarta Learning Zone: Teachers

Sites About Whales (for EECE classes)

1. Whales in Literature
2. Whales: Leviathans of the Deep
3. Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society
4. Sapphire Coast: About Whales
5. Amy's Orca's
6. Center for Oceanic Research and Education

For more practice, try this Evaluating Health-Related Web Sites Exercise


SLHS Students: Connect to SLHS 491 List of Web Sites to Evaluate.

EECE 614 and EECE 341 students, connect to this EECE 341 and 614 -- Evaluating Web Sites Links, in order to complete your Evaluating Web Sites Worksheet assignment.

ED 422/522 students, connect to this ED 422/522 Evaluating Web Sites Links, which corresponds with your worksheet -- Make sure and select two sites within your assigned set.

See also Ken Winter's excellent examples of Questionable Web Sites.




Review Tools

One way to have a better chance of getting higher-quality information is to find web sites using a review site. These services will give a review or rating of websites, often in very useful categories. Here are a few to try. I particularly recommend The Scout Report:

• Librarian's Index to the Internet -- Respected directory of librarian-selected Internet resources.
• The Scout Report -- Published every Friday both on the web and via e-mail - The Scout Report evaluates websites by content, authority, information maintenance, presentation, availability, and cost.
• Yahoo -- Yahoo is a bit picky about what it will include in its database and thus, in a sense, is reviewing by selecting. It also includes a well-done review site for kids called Yahooligans.
• Blue Web'n -- Searchable database of high-quality Internet learning web sites.
• Argus Clearinghouse -- Reviews Internet sources in 13 areas, including Arts & Humanities; Communication; Government & Law; Science & Mathematics. The Clearinghouse is a good place to go to locate other Internet review sites and guides.
• About.Com -- Reviews and guides you through sites in over 500 topics, run by "expert guides from across the Net."




For More Information

For more information about EVALUATING web resources, consult the following web sites:

Winter, Ken. (1998). Questionable Web Sites. [Online.] Available: http://www.vmi.edu/library/kw/questionable.htm [1998, November 14].

Why We Need to Evaluate What We Find On the Internet. (1997). [Online]. Available: http://thorplus.lib.purdue.edu/~techman/eval.html [1997, December 9].

Tillman, Hope. (1997). Evaluating Quality on the Net. [Online]. Available: http://www.tiac.net/users/hope/findqual.html [1997, December 9].

Beck, Susan. (1997). Evaluation Criteria (from The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: or, Why It's a Good Idea to Evaluate Web Sources.) [Online]. Available: http://lib.nmsu.edu/staff/susabeck/evalcrit.html [1997, December 9].

Harris, Robert. (2000). Evaluating Internet Research Sources (includes the CARS Checklist) [Online]. Available: http://www.virtualsalt.com/evalu8it.htm [2001, April 17].

UCLA - Charles Young Library. (1999). Judging Quality on the Internet. [Online]. Available: http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/url/referenc/judging.htm [1999, August 6].


  Back to Library and Internet Instructional Resources


---

http://www.mnstate.edu/library/instruct/evaluate.htm
Created 2/3/98

Updated 02/24/05
Brittney Goodman

Instruction/Reference Librarian

Minnesota State University Moorhead
goodmanb@mnstate.edu