Evaluating Internet Resources
Unlike most print resources such as magazines, journals, and books that go through a filtering process (e.g. editing, peer review, library selection), information on the Internet is mostly unfiltered. So using and citing information found over the Internet requires that you the reader needs to know something about evaluating information.
Assignment:
- Print out 3 copies of the evaluation checklist,, below
- Find two resources on the Internet/Web and answer the questions from the checklist for each resource; attach a copy of your answered checklist to a copy of the home page of each of the resources you selected.
- Find the webpage assigned by your instructor.
Write the website's URL (address) here ______________________________________________
- Evaluate this web site according to the checklist and attach the checklist to the copy of the homepage.
- Hand in all three homepages with attached checklists by (date due) ____________________________________.
Evaluating Internet Resources: Checklist
Name: ___________________________________ Date: _______________
Course: __________________________________ Instructor: _______________________
Authority
- Who is the author of the piece?_________________________________________________________
- Is the author the original creator of the information? _____________ If not, who is?___________________
- Does the author list his or her occupation, years of experience, position, education, or other credentials?_________
If so, what?_________________________________________________________
Affiliation
- What institution (company, organization, government, university, etc.) or Internet provider supports this information?
________________________________________________________________________
- If it is a commercial Internet provider, does the author appear to have any connection with a larger institution? ______
If so, who?____________________________________________________________
- Does the institution appear to exercise quality control over the information appearing under its name? _______
If so, how?_____________________________________________________________________
- Does the author's affiliation with this particular institution appear to bias the information? ______
If so, how?____________________________________________________________________________
Currency
- When was the information created or last
updated?_____________________________________________
- Does the creation date or update affect its usefulness?_________
If so, in what way?______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Purpose
- What appears to be the purpose for this information?
- Inform _________
- Explain _________
- Persuade ________
- Why do you think so?____________________________________________________________________
Audience
- Who is the intended audience? _____________________________________________________________
Compared to what?
- What does this work/site offer compared to other works, including non-internet works?______________________________________________________________________________________________________
- Is there is a comparable product in print? __________
If so, list the title of the book here: ________________________________________
- Does your library have a copy of this title on the shelves? _______
If so, what is the call number and location of this title in your library? ____________
- Does your library have access to this title online? _______
If so, what is the URL of the library webpage that allows you to link into this resource? ____________________________
Conclusion
- Given all the information you determined from above, is this Internet site appropriate to source to refer to in your studies, current awareness, or any informational need? ____________________________________
Adapted from Edtech. 2000, http://www.edtech.vt.edu/edtech/kmoliver/webeval/criteria.html
and
InFoPeople Project. ©1999, http://www.infopeople.org/bkmk/select.html
This document may be printed or copied for non-commercial use without further permission of the author, provided this notice is present.
S. Berteaux Est. 12 Jul 2002. Last revision: 16 Oct 2007