Evaluating the Internet Melissa Rethlefsen, MDH Library 6 th Annual Capacity Building Conference College of St. Benedict, St. Joseph, MN June 13 th , 2002

Agenda Introduction Basics of Website Evaluation Searching Google and Finding Great Results Evaluating Health Websites: the JAMA Benchmarks Hands-on Practice – Searching Hands-on Practice – Evaluating

Introduction

Basics of Website Evaluation

Searching Google and Finding Great Results

Evaluating Health Websites: the JAMA Benchmarks

Hands-on Practice – Searching

Hands-on Practice – Evaluating

Evaluating Basics Authority Accuracy and Coverage Currency

Authority

Accuracy and Coverage

Currency

What Is Authority? Who is the author? Is the author objective or biased? Does the author have a stake in the information? What kind of website is it? Commercial? Educational? Governmental?

Who is the author?

Is the author objective or biased?

Does the author have a stake in the

information?

What kind of website is it? Commercial?

Educational? Governmental?

How Can I Determine Accuracy and Coverage? Who is the intended audience? Are there links to other websites? Are references given for source material (a bibliography)? What are the sources for the information given? What methods did those sources use to obtain the information? How much information is given? How well does the website’s information mesh with other sources?

Who is the intended audience?

Are there links to other websites?

Are references given for source material (a

bibliography)?

What are the sources for the information given? What

methods did those sources use to obtain the information?

How much information is given?

How well does the website’s information mesh with

other sources?

How Can I Determine Currency? Is there a creation date on the website? Is there information about updates to the website? Are links active or broken? Is there more recent information elsewhere?

Is there a creation date on the website?

Is there information about updates to the website?

Are links active or broken?

Is there more recent information elsewhere?

The JAMA Benchmarks Authorship : proper identification of authors and contributors Attribution for all sources of information Disclosures of site ownership, financing, advertising, and conflicts of interest Curr ency : indication of the dates content is posted and updated

Authorship : proper identification of authors and

contributors

Attribution for all sources of information

Disclosures of site ownership, financing, advertising, and

conflicts of interest

Curr ency : indication of the dates content is posted and

updated

Search #1 Professional information on preventing tuberculosis

Search #2 Consumer-oriented information on treating Crohn’s Disease

Search #3 Spanish-language, consumer-oriented educational materials on Pap tests