Evaluating Web Sources Exercise

 

Ideally this exercise should be done in a classroom in small groups, so you can discuss your thoughts on how to evaluate the sample Web sites based on

Authority
Date
Intendend Audience
Purpose

 

Authority

You should be able to find the name of the organization or author quickly and feel confident that the information is from a reliable, noteworthy source.

Look at the first document posted on this electronic journal and answer the questions below.

1. Are the author's qualifications, such as education, occupation or position listed?

2. Do you know if the author or organization is well respected or well known in the field?

3. Does the publication include a reference list or bibliography showing that the author researched the topic?

4. If it is an organization, is there a link pointing to the organization's homepage? If there is a link, does the homepage explain the goals and history of the organization?

5. Is there an e-mail to contact the author or organization?

6. Does the web address seem to be a personal homepage or a sublink part of an "official" organization?

Based on your answers to the above questions is this a reliable source to use? Do you feel that the author or organization is an authority on this topic?

 

Date

Look for the date the Web page was published. The more current the date, the more likely the information will be useful to you. One of the major reasons people use the Web for research is because it is current and accessible.

Look at this document and answer the questions below.

1. Can you find the original publication date?

2. Does the page list when it was last revised?

3. If you were doing research using this source, would the information be outdated for your purposes?

Based on your answers to the questions above, would this be a good source based on the date of publication?

 

Intended Audience

Writers' craft their content depending on who they consider to be their target readers.

Look at this site and answer the questions below.

1. Is this a scholarly site, intended for an academic audience, or one knowledgeable about the subject area?

2. Is this resource of a more popular nature, written for people with no special expertise about the subject?

3. If you were using this site as a source is there enough background information for you to make the content understandable?

4. Is the author writing to an audience who may be purposely biased or have a specific point of view or stand (i.e. Catholic church and abortion)?

Based on your answers to the questions above, do you feel that you could be considered part of the author's intended audience? If not, is there information here that could be used for readers who are not experts on this content?

 

Purpose

Since writers have an intended purpose, analyze the motives of the authors you use.

Look at this document and answer the questions below.

1. Is the major purpose of this publication to inform?

2. Is the major purpose of this publication to persuade? (Do you feel that the author is trying to convince you of something?)

3. Would you say the piece is biased, or presents a limited point of view?

4. Are there any advertisements on the page? What is being advertised?

5. Are there any links to a commercial organization or individual?

Based on your answers to the questions above, would this be a reliable source based on the author's purpose?

 

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last updated on 7/12/99