Evaluating Web Sites

Remember, anyone can post a web site, but not all sites are created equal.  Because no single person or organization controls the content of the Internet, quality varies widely from Web site to site.  It is extremely important for both librarians and their patrons to learn how to evaluate each Internet site as you examine it. 

Remember the criteria we listed for evaluating all reference sources:

• Authority – reputation and qualifications of author, editors or publisher
• Currency – date of copyright and currency of content
• Audience – school age/grade level, and, for adults, degree of technical level
• Accuracy – consistency and reliability of entries
• Accessibility – organization and ease of use

In addition, here are some key points to bear in mind as you assess Web sites:

1. Responsibility.  Similar to authority, look for the reliability and qualifications of the site owner or creator.  Who (individual, business or organization) created the Web site?  Does the site contain an “About Us” or “Contact Us” section if identifying information is incomplete?

   As an example, take a look at the web site for the Idaho Department of Commerce & Labor, http://www.cl.idaho.gov/.   Prominent on the top of the home page is a navigation  “Contact Us” button; it links to a screen with the complete name, address, and phone numbers of the site owner, the Idaho Department of Commerce & Labor.  In addition, it provides linked e-mail addresses for staff members.

   To see how a creator can provide a wealth of information about a Web site, go to www.refdesk.com.  Scroll down the screen to check out the Web site’s contents.  If you click on “About Refdesk” you find a vision statement, mission statement that includes a tour of the site, criteria for site inclusion, and instructions on how to link to Refdesk.  The “Reviews, Honors and Awards” section gives a good indication of the reliability of the site.

    

2. Design.  Is the site easy to use or confusing?  To help you find specific sections or pieces of information, does it include a search engine (which functions much like an index) or a site map (which is similar to a table of contents)?  For example, look at the Library of Congress web site, www.loc.gov.  It includes a search engine and site map, and also includes direct links to special resources including “THOMAS” (federal legislation) and “American Memory” (digitized collections of American history and culture).

   When appropriate, does the Web site offer links to other useful sites?  Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids, bensguide.gpo.gov teaches students how our government works.  It provides a variety of learning tools and links to other federal web sites for K-12 students, parents, and teachers.

    

3. Requirements.  Are special software and adequate hardware required to access the information on the site?  Does it contain large PDF files, which will require Adobe Reader?  The Idaho Department of Commerce & Labor site is the best source for recent Idaho population statistics; see their site at www.cl.idaho.gov/.  At the home page choose “Statistics & Research” from the menu on the left; then select “Census” for a list of current Census tables.  To view all the tables you will need Microsoft Excel and Adobe Reader loaded on your computer.  C-SPAN (www.c-span.org) and Discovery.com (www.discovery.com) are examples of sites requiring plug-ins.  Check to see if the plug-ins you need can be obtained free online; most are available and you will find links for installing them.

    

4. Purpose.  What is the objective of the site? To provide information?  This is the express purpose of the Library of Congress site and other federal Web sites.  To sell you a product or an idea?  Countless businesses and non-profit organizations have mounted sites on the Web in hopes of selling you something. To convince you of a particular viewpoint?  Students use the Web to research the pros and cons of almost any subject.  For example, a student searching for information on gun control should examine a range of opinions from sites such as the National Rifle Association (www.nra.org) and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence (www.bradycenter.org). 

In summary, be critical of information you find on the Web and carefully examine each site.  Remember that all sites have some agenda or bias.   Knowing the type of site you’re inspecting will give you some clues as to its purpose.  The top-level domain (the suffix at the end of the web site’s URL or address) indicates the type of organization that posted the site. The following section will give an explanation of top-level domains.

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