NORTH CENTRAL COLLEGE LIBRARY SERVICES
Information Literacy and Instruction Program

Using a Web Site?

 Evaluate! How Does It Rate?

Below is a list of standard evaluation criteria commonly used to evaluate the reliability of Web sites.
To aid you in this evaluation, consider these additional tools:

  1. The domain name contained in a URL or address of a web page indicates where the site is coming
    from and can help you evaluate a web site:
    • noctrl.edu - North Central College, an education institution
    • nra.org - National Rifle Association, a nonprofit organization
    • Amazon.com - a commercial site
    • census.gov - U.S. Census Bureau, a government site
     
  2. Who owns the Web site? Find valuable information about the registered owner of the site by searching the URL in the Whois Database http://www.networksolutions.com/en_US/whois/index.jhtml

  3. What other Web sites link to this web site/page? Do you find sites that are not related to the site you are evaluating? What do they say about it? Using any standard search engine, type into the search box link: followed by the URL of the Web site you are evaluating. (link:noctrl.edu)

  4. For practice evaluate this Web site, using the following criteria combined with the above information.
    The Problem of the Gas Chambers - http://ihr.org/leaflets/gaschambers.html
     
    ·        Authority
    ·        Who provided the information?
    ·        What are the author's credentials?
    ·        Is there a copyright statement?
    ·        What organization or institution does he represent?
    ·        Is the organization’s address, phone number and mission statement clearly stated?
    ·        What is their reputation as an information provider?
    ·        Does the information provider have the authority or expertise to provide information on that topic?
     
    ·        Currency
    ·        When was the material written?
    ·        Does currency or lack of currency affect the material?
    ·        Is the information provided for current information or for historical purposes?
    ·        When was the last update of the information?
     
    ·        Coverage
    ·        Is the Web page complete, or still under construction?
    ·        Does it really address your topic? Is it relevant?
    ·        Is the intended topic of the Web page clearly stated?
    ·        Has the topic been fully covered or are there gaps in the information provided?
     
    ·        Objectivity
    ·        What is the site host’s motivation? Profit? Education? Furthering a personal agenda?
    ·        Is it objective, but with a hidden argumentative purpose - carefully selected evidence peppered with biased language or information?
    ·        Exploratory - Objective explanation of several different views?
    ·        Deliberately argumentative - Does it take an obvious position on a controversial issue?
    ·        Extremist or biased - emotional language, extreme examples, associated with extremist groups?
     
    ·        Accuracy
    ·            Does this Web page contain proven, verifiable facts and information?
    ·            Are the sources of the information clearly documented?
    ·            Are there errors in spelling and grammar?