Criteria for web site evaluation © Oksana Hlodan, 2007

Evaluation focus on content : • quality • credibility • usability

Who? What? When? Where? Why? CRITERIA

Who?

What?

When?

Where?

Why?

Who? Who wrote the page? What are the author’s credentials? Is the author’s bio provided? If not, can I find it? (e.g., link)

Who wrote the page?

What are the author’s credentials?

Is the author’s bio provided?

If not, can I find it? (e.g., link)

About Us: “… since we are after all a grass roots and ad hoc undertaking by an all-volunteer consortium, to…” Who?

Who?

What? What is the purpose? Is it first or second-hand info? Is content vetted? Are sources/facts documented? Is the science accurate? Do links lead to quality pages?

What is the purpose?

Is it first or second-hand info?

Is content vetted?

Are sources/facts documented?

Is the science accurate?

Do links lead to quality pages?

What? Please note: I didn’t write this stuff, I received the contents of this page on a floppy disc sometime in 1996. ( Science Made Stupid web site)

What?

When? When was it created? When was it last updated? Do broken links get fixed/updated?

When was it created?

When was it last updated?

Do broken links get fixed/updated?

When? Sizing up genomes: Amoeba is king By Edward R. Winstead February 12, 2001, Genome News Network

Where? Where is “about us”? Is sponsorship reputable? Do others link to the site? Do they endorse the site?

Where is “about us”?

Is sponsorship reputable?

Do others link to the site?

Do they endorse the site?

Where?

Where? About the Center “ Access Excellence has been rated by School Zone’s panel of 400 teachers.”

Where?

Why? Why should I use this info? Why is this site/page better than another? Why should I verify the info on other sites?

Why should I use this info?

Why is this site/page better than another?

Why should I verify the info on other sites?

Why?

Why encourage students to evaluate web sites?

Number of web sites: over 100,000,000 Netcraft, Nov. 2006

A recent study revealed that fewer than 10% of students check accuracy of online information. University of Connecticut and Clemson University, 2005

Internet evaluation skills = scientific research skills!

Internet research skills = scientific research skills Questioning Planning Gathering Sorting Synthesizing Evaluating Reporting

Questioning

Planning

Gathering

Sorting

Synthesizing

Evaluating

Reporting

Student Activity Distribute evaluation worksheets to students Pick a newsy issue, e.g., GM corn, for their searches Have students search different domans: com, edu, org, gov Discuss evaluation results with class

Distribute evaluation worksheets to students

Pick a newsy issue, e.g., GM corn, for their searches

Have students search different domans: com, edu, org, gov

Discuss evaluation results with class

Resources Kathy Shrock’s Guide for Educators http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/eval.html Purdue University Tutorial http://www.lib.purdue.edu/ugrl/staff/sharkey/interneteval/ Widener University Tutorial & Excercises http://www3.widener.edu/Academics/Libraries/Wolfgram_Memorial_Library/Evaluate_Web_Pages/659/ Web Evaluation by Pam Berger http://www.infosearcher.com/infosearcher/articles/evaluatingweb1.pdf

Kathy Shrock’s Guide for Educators http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/eval.html

Purdue University Tutorial http://www.lib.purdue.edu/ugrl/staff/sharkey/interneteval/

Widener University Tutorial & Excercises http://www3.widener.edu/Academics/Libraries/Wolfgram_Memorial_Library/Evaluate_Web_Pages/659/

Web Evaluation by Pam Berger http://www.infosearcher.com/infosearcher/articles/evaluatingweb1.pdf