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Table
of Contents
The
Web is an open publishing environment. Anyone can publish...and,
sometimes, it seems as though everyone does! It's up to YOU to
evaluate.
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Anyone
can publish anything on the Web. Information on the Internet is
not first checked for accuracy or quality before it is published.
It is up to you to evaluate the quality and appropriateness of
the information you find. Evaluating online sources means asking
questions about the quality of the information.
The general
criteria to consider are the same as those we applied earlier
to printed sources, but some
of the questions are slightly different:
Coverage
- What
topics are covered?
- What
does this Web resource offer that is not found elsewhere?
- What
is its value to your research?
- Is
the coverage in-depth, or superficial?
- Is
material well-written, or sloppy and difficult to understand?
Objectivity
- Does
the information show bias?
- Is
the material designed to sway opinion?
- If
there is advertising, is it clearly separated from the information
content?
Authorship
- Who
is responsible? Is there a named author? Most Web pages do not
have an author listed. You have to look at the top, as well
as at the end of the page for an author statement. Be careful
not to confuse the Web designer with the author of the content.
- Is
the author qualified? An expert? Are the author's qualifications
for writing on this topic given?
- Is
the source an organization, an educational institution, a government
agency, or a commercial entity?
Currency
- Does
the Web material have a date? If so, when was the late update?
- Do
all the links work? Web sites and pages change constantly, and
keeping links current and up to date is a big part of publishing
on the Web.
Accuracy
- Is
the information reliable and error-free?
- Can
you tell where facts and statistical statements came from? For
example, if you run across a statement like: "Latinos now
represent almost 10 percent of the total student enrollment
in higher education," is the source of that statistic documented?
- Is
there someone listed whom you can contact about the information
on the Web page?
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