Evaluating Web Sources for Research Instruction for beginning MBA students By Mahrya Carncross, Librarian Candidate, City University of Seattle Library

Information Literacy: Skills for Research Success Association of College and Research Libraries (2003). Information Literacy Standards for Higher Education. Retrieved February 23, 2009 at http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/standards/informationliteracycompetency.cfm .

Why Evaluate? Make sense of excessive amounts of information found online Web content is not monitored or universally checked for accuracy Web content is published with many intentions Develop your critical thinking skills

Make sense of excessive amounts of information found online

Web content is not monitored or universally checked for accuracy

Web content is published with many intentions

Develop your critical thinking skills

Evaluation Criteria The following criteria can be used to judge a resource’s effectiveness Authority Accuracy Content Currency Objectivity

The following criteria can be used to judge a resource’s effectiveness

Authority

Accuracy

Content

Currency

Objectivity

Authority Questions: Who created the source? Is the author qualified? What else does the publisher put out? Is additional information about creators readily available? Evaluation Techniques: Look for biographical and publishing information at the source. Examine banner, “about us” and URL. Conduct a web search for the author and/or publisher. Search library sources for publishing history.

Questions:

Who created the source?

Is the author qualified?

What else does the publisher put out?

Is additional information about creators readily available?

Evaluation Techniques:

Look for biographical and publishing information at the source.

Examine banner, “about us” and URL.

Conduct a web search for the author and/or publisher.

Search library sources for publishing history.

Accuracy Questions: Is the information verifiable? Are claims believable? Can you find any errors? Does the author cite sources? Evaluation Techniques: Consult additional sources to verify claims. Check bibliography, references and links. Ask an expert.

Questions:

Is the information verifiable?

Are claims believable?

Can you find any errors?

Does the author cite sources?

Evaluation Techniques:

Consult additional sources to verify claims.

Check bibliography, references and links.

Ask an expert.

Content Questions: Does the site contain complete information? Does it provide you with new knowledge? Is the source relevant to your topic? What does the site seem to be missing? Evaluation Techniques: Use the 5 W’s. Look for information that is new and useful. Consider your topic’s boundaries.

Questions:

Does the site contain complete information?

Does it provide you with new knowledge?

Is the source relevant to your topic?

What does the site seem to be missing?

Evaluation Techniques:

Use the 5 W’s.

Look for information that is new and useful.

Consider your topic’s boundaries.

Currency Questions: Is the information timely? When was the source last updated? Is it regularly updated? Evaluation Techniques: Check citations. Look for date of last update on web pages. Check back frequently for updates.

Questions:

Is the information timely?

When was the source last updated?

Is it regularly updated?

Evaluation Techniques:

Check citations.

Look for date of last update on web pages.

Check back frequently for updates.

Objectivity Questions: Why did the author publish the source? Does the article reflect a particular agenda? Are persuasive claims backed by evidence? Are tone and language appropriate for topic? Evaluation Techniques: Determine purpose of the work. Look for slant or bias. Examine links, references and ads.

Questions:

Why did the author publish the source?

Does the article reflect a particular agenda?

Are persuasive claims backed by evidence?

Are tone and language appropriate for topic?

Evaluation Techniques:

Determine purpose of the work.

Look for slant or bias.

Examine links, references and ads.

Does it Add Up? What is your overall impression of the source? Will it fill a gap in your research knowledge?

What is your overall impression of the source?

Will it fill a gap in your research knowledge?

Some Examples Responsible Shopper Profile Standard & Poor's Industry Profile Stanford University's Entrepreneurship Corner

Responsible Shopper Profile

Standard & Poor's Industry Profile

Stanford University's Entrepreneurship Corner

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