Strategies to Evaluate the Worth of a Web Resource Research Methods and Data College of Advancing Studies Brendan Rapple

The Internet provides access to thousands of millions of web sites. There is a tremendous range in the quality and worth of these web sites. It is essential to identity some methods of evaluating their value. Why might one web site be very useful for research purposes, whereas another site might be totally useless?

As serious researchers we must carefully evaluate all data, information, writings etc. that we wish to use in our research endeavors. However, we should be especially on guard and skeptical when dealing with material found on the Web.

Important Question to Ask Q. Why exactly am I using the Web?” If it’s primarily for ease of use even though better, more substantive material may be found in print, then using the web may not be such a good idea!

Authorship Who wrote the page? Position? Organizational affiliation? address? Biographical information? Does he/she seem like someone who is qualified to write on this topic? If there is no personal author, look for an agency or organization that claims responsibility for the page. If no author's name is present, ask yourself why.

Domains May give hints about the producer/sponsor of the document..edufor educational or research institutions.comfor commercial enterprises or organizations.orgfor nonprofit organizations.netfor networks.govor government agencies.milfor military bodies

N.B. If the URL is linked to a commercial Internet provider, it may indicate that the author has no official educational connections. Any advertisement on a Web page might raise a red flag.

Objective Reasoning  Be conscious of hidden biases  Is the information in the site a fact, an opinion or propaganda?  Is the information well researched?  Is the language inflammatory or full of bias? Acknowledge your own personal biases – as researchers we should be impartial.

Date of Publication is very Important For Web material, ask:  When was the research gathered and the piece first composed?  When was the site last revised and updated (look at the end of the page)?  If the author provides any links, do they work, and if so, are they up-to- date?  If the piece includes tables, charts, graphs, statistics, are dates provided?  Up-to-date information on a time-sensitive topic is important.

Content To evaluate the content of a Web source ask  Does it provide in-depth or sketchy analysis of the topic?  Are the sources predominantly primary or secondary?  How reliable is the information?  Is the author's thesis supported by the evidence?  If it’s a controversial subject, does the author acknowledge this?

 Does the author provide details of research methods used?  Can the reader duplicate the research methods for verification purposes?  Are there misspellings, poor composition, bad grammar?  Can you detect any prejudice or bias?

Structure  Is the site easy to understand and use?  Do the color and background hinder readability?  Is the site design so elaborate that it detracts from the actual content?  Is the web site stable; can you access it whenever you want?  If there are graphics, audio, video, are they good? Do they serve any real function or are they just padding or decoration? Do they slow down transmission excessively?

Intended Audience  Is the information too elementary or too technical?  Is it appropriately targeted?

Writing Style  Are the main points clearly presented?  Is the text easy to read, awkward, or disorganized?  Is the author's argument repetitive?  and so on

Documentation  What sort of bibliography and sources does the author provide?  Does the author make full citation to other works used?  For web sources, does the bibliography/works cited only contain Internet material or does the author also point to print resources?

Aesthetic Considerations Often individual preferences

Evaluate these Sites Neu-BeCalm'd: A New Beginning For Life! Martin Luther King Site Dihydrogen Monoxide - DHMO Homepage The True but Little Known Facts about Women and AIDS

The Anti-Aging and Longevity Program Clones-R-Us Storm Front California's Velcro Crop under Challenge (1993)

Poorly Designed Sites Fabric Land Havenworks Yvette’s Bridal Accept Jesus, Forever Forgiven