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Properly evaluating information located on the Web is time-consuming
and can be confusing. Before you venture out into the Internet for
your research, consider the fact that there are MANY sources of research
information on the Librarys homepage that have been evaluated for you!
The Library provides access to research e-Resources that are
full of articles from reputable academic and professional journals.
For example, instead of sifting through 1,330,000 Google hits on 'child
psychology', you might want to consider using a psychology database from
the Library's e-Resources by Subject: Psychology
page for more tailored results.
IF YOU STILL WANT TO USE THE WEB
Follow these 5 important criteria for evaluating web sites:
1) Authority
Ask yourself: Can I easily determine what organization, company,
or person is responsible for this site?
Check for:
- Logos, contact information (specifically a postal mailing address)
- Name of copyright holder
- Qualifications/credentials for individuals or organizations
- A complete description of the nature of the organization responsible
for the site, or a link to the organizations home page
- A list of print (not Web) publications produced by the sites creator(s),
such as a peer-reviewed journal
2) Accuracy
Ask yourself: Is this information reliable and free from errors?
Check for:
- Grammatical, typographical, or spelling errors
- Links or references (such as a bibliography) to original sources
for factual information
3) Objectivity
Ask yourself: Does this page express facts and information
without including personal feelings or biases? What seems to be the
purpose of the information provider for making the information available?
Check for:
- Personal statements by an individual author
- Excessive advertising and pop-up ads
- A clear separation between the advertising content and the informational
content
- A clear link to the sites sponsor, and an indication of the relationship
between the site's sponsor and those who create the site's content
Objectivity is difficult to judge on the Web. It's a good idea to
approach with a skeptical eye any Web site that features advertising
or corporate sponsorship. Be aware that advertisers and sponsors MAY
influence the way information is presented on a site. Be very skeptical
of a site that provides information and advertising from the same company,
for example a pharmaceutical company web site that offers health information.
4) Currency
Ask yourself: Is the information on this site up-to-date?
Check for:
- Date the material was created
- Date the material was last updated (usually listed at the bottom
of the page)
- Date of the last revision
5) Coverage
Ask yourself: Does this site cover a range of topics that
are relevant to my research, and are these topics covered in depth?
(Also ask yourself: Who is the intended audience for this site?)
Check for:
- A mission statemen or introduction for the site that explains who
the intended audience is
- A site index or site map that lists all of the topics covered
Some final notes:
Janet Alexander and Marsha Ann Tate at Widener University have created a wonderful
online guide for evaluating web resources; you can view this guide at
www.widener.edu/Tools_Resources/Libraries/Wolfgram_Memorial_Library/Evaluate_Web_Pages/659.
You may also want to look at this helpful evaluation checklist, created
at Dalhousie University:
www.library.dal.ca/how/check2.htm.
If you have more questions or need clarification on Web site evaluation
techniques, Librarians at the Reference
Desk will be happy to help you!
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