Judging website quality

1. Judging Website Quality
research @ the CKSS library

2. There are many factors to
consider before using a
website as an academic
research source:

3. Factors
Website Quality Factors:
1. Source information
2. Accuracy
3. Currency
4. Objectivity
5. Purpose
6. Usability

4. Source
❏ The author/organization/source is easily identified
❏ The author’s credentials are listed on the site
❏ The author/organization is qualified & reputable (check it!)
❏ The author’s affiliation to the institution is clearly stated
❏ Contact information for the author/organization is provided
❏ Website domain considerations:
.ca – Canadian website .gov – Government-based website
.edu – Educational institution .com – Company-based website
.org – Organization or special interest group website etc...
● “My information comes from a reliable source.”

5. Accuracy
❏ Information sources are properly cited
❏ There is a bibliography or resource list included
❏ The information presented is comparable to (or more
authoritative than) other information you may have found
from other sources, including print resources
❏ The information presented on the website can be quickly &
easily verified elsewhere
❏ The website uses proper grammar and spelling
● “My information is authoritative and truthful.”

6. Currency
❏ The most recent website revision date is listed
❏ The original date of included information is presented,
regardless of website updates
❏ All statistical / factual information was gathered as recently
as possible
❏ The website is actively maintained
❏ All links to internal and external web pages are functional
● “My information is as up-to-date as possible.”

7. Objectivity
❏ The website presents objectively verifiable facts, not ideas
influenced by personal feeling or opinion
❏ The website is free of bias and stereotyping, if claiming to be
truthful and accurate
❏ If using a site with bias and stereotyping, note & explain this to
your text’s audience, and justify your use of the source
❏ If the source’s “information” is mostly opinion, be sure there is
valid evidence provided to support the author’s position, and
share that with your text’s audience
● “My information is factual, not opinion-based or biased.”

8. Purpose
❏ You can quickly and easily figure out the intended audience of
the site
❏ The content is appropriate for the intended audience
❏ The content/information is geared to support student learning
❏ All (non-targeted) advertisements seem reasonable, based on
appropriateness for the website’s audience
● “My information is from an appropriate source.”

9. Usability
❏ The design of the website is audience appropriate
❏ Website navigation is intuitive and simple to use
❏ Any website features / downloads are in a commonly
accessible format
❏ There is a “help” feature and/or contact information easily
available on the website
❏ You can easily understand the language used in the source
● “My information is from an accessible source.”

10. Consider all of these
factors before using a
website as an academic
research source

11. Thanks for viewing this
tutorial presentation
cks.hdsb.ca/library

12. Credits
Presentation:
Mr. R. Thomson,Teacher-Librarian
Craig Kielburger Secondary School
Content:
HDSB Website Evaluation Guidelines for the
Elementary and Secondary Internet Tools Websites
Presentation Template:
SlidesCarnival
cks.hdsb.ca/
library/research