Tips on Evaluating Web Sites

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Tips on Evaluating Web Sites

• By Sara Traxler

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Tips on Evaluating Web Sites

• Illinois State University
• Gulf Coast Community College
• Life Beyond Yahoo Research Tips

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Illinois State University

• Accuracy
• Is the information accurate?
• How reliable is the information?
• Authority
• Is it clear who wrote the page?
• Is the author affiliated with an institution?

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Illinois State University

• Coverage
• Does the site cover the subject adequately?
• Are there inexplicable omissions?
• Currency
• Is the publication date clearly stated?
• When was the page last revised?

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Gulf Coast Community College

• Authority
• Does the author's name appear on the Web page?
• What is the author's expertise on this particular
  subject?
• Bias
• Is the web site objective?
• Does the author's organizational affiliation make
  him/her bias?

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Gulf Coast Community College

• Currency
• Is there a date of creation?
• Are the links up-to-date?
• Content
• Does the information seem logical?
• Is the information intended as an advertisement?

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Life Beyond Yahoo Research Tips

• Accuracy
• Make sure author provides a contact address/phone
  number.
• Know the distinction between author and
  Webmaster.
• Authority
• Where is the document published?
• Check URL domain.

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Life Beyond Yahoo Research Tips

• Objectivity
• Determine if page is a mask for advertising.
• Currency
• Are there dead links are on the page?
• Are the links updated regularly?

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Bibliography

• Lutgens, Karen. Day, Pam. (1998). Illinois
  State University. 1 page online available.
  http//www.mlb.ilstu.edu/ressubj/subject/intrnt/ev
  aluate.htm
• Shoup, Stacey. (1999). Gulf Coast Community
  College. 1 page online available.
  http//nt.gc.cc.fl.us/library/WEBEVAL.HTM

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Bibliography

• Kapoun, Jim. (1998). Life Beyond Yahoo Research
  Tips. 3 pages online available.
  http//servercc.oakton.edu/wittman/find/eval.htm