Back to Choosing and Evaluating Electronic Resources

Internet Resources Evaluation Guide


The following points should be considered when judging the
merits of a web page (or any other source of information).


Authority
*Who wrote this?
*What makes the author an authority on the subject?
*Can the author's credentials be verified elsewhere?
*Is there any way to contact the author or sponsoring
organization beyond an e-mail address?

Accuracy
*How can we verify the information presented?
*Are the sources of information clearly listed so
they can be checked?

Objectivity
*Why did the author produce this page:
      *as a public service?
      *to sell something?
      *to influence opinion?
*What is the sponsoring organization of the web site?
*Are we getting the whole story?

Currency
*How recent are the facts and figures?
*Do the dates given indicate:
      *when the page was placed on the web?
      *when the page was first created?
      *or when the content was last revised?

Coverage
*What topics are covered?
*To what depths are topics covered?