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EVALUATING INTERNET RESOURCES |
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The fact that information is being presented in a new way (on the Web) does not mean that all of our previous experience with printed information (books and journal articles) should be forgotten. When we are looking at a new site on the Web, these are some of the questions to ask and the issues to consider. Common sense and past experience are important tools to use in critically evaluating online information. It is important not to forget all that we already know about good information resources. Read through the criteria table below and the section on Search Engines to prepare for the exercise that follows. |
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WEB |
| AUTHORITY-- What are the qualifications of the author(s), the editor(s), and the reputation of the publisher? Are they experienced, acknowledged experts in their field? | This applies regardless of a source's medium. |
| CONTENT--What is the overall value of the content? What does it contribute to the corpus of reference literature in its field? | Given the ease of self-publishing on the Web, this is perhaps even more important in reviewing Web resources than in reviewing print resources. |
| EASE-OF-USE--Is it easy to use? Is its organization as simple as it can be to serve the book's intended purpose? | This applies. Do lengthy pages include tables of contents? Do large sites include a site map or index? Boyd Collins has a "three click" guideline, i.e., that any information at a site should be accessible in no more than three clicks. |
| REVISIONS--Are revisions made frequently enough to keep the book current? Are revisions to a new edition sufficient to justify the cost of replacing the previous edition? | The analog for Web resources is maintenance. Is the resource maintained regularly? Has "link rot" set in or are links checked and updated? Is content kept up to date? |
| UNIQUENESS--Does it make a unique contribution by providing "information, or access to information, in a fashion that is unlike what is found in any other reference work on the same subject and that somehow gives the work a character all of its own?" | Given the swift rate of expansion of the Web, this is an increasingly important criterion. Superior content, scope, graphic design, or some combination of these elements can generate a resource's noteworthy uniqueness. These need to be identified and evaluated. |
Choosing the search engines you want to use is a matter of choosing a database the SIZE you want with the FEATURES you need to research your topic successfully. Click on the links to go to the search engines themselves.
For many searches, a meta-search engine can save you time. By quickly retrieving a "snapshot" of what your keywords retrieve, you may find what you want or, at least, get a feel for what you are up against -- a feel for what's "out there" with your terms or phrases. These search engines search all of the big search databases simultaneously and give you a consolidated report of their findings.
If you get too many hits or the wrong results and you need to sharpen focus, take advantage of these next search tools with features that let you zero in on what you really want:
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1. COMPARATIVE CRITERIA FOR REVIEWING WEBSITES
2. WAYS
TO FIND INFORMATION ON THE WEB
3. Reviews and Ratings
-- what do others think??? 
Resources used for this tutorial: