EVALUATING WEB RESOURCES

As access to the internet, and demand for world-wide-web based resources has exploded in the last 5 years, the problem of assessing the reliability and credibility of the internet source is even more complex. Anyone can launch a web site. Web sites are often the personal "mouth piece" of organizations and individuals who wish to persuade, bully, or sell ideas, view points, or products without regard to the truth, without regard to objective and moderate standards of intellectual presentation, persuasion or debate.

The world wide web is almost seductive in its use of graphic design, and interactive presentation of material. Students must realize web presentation should never over ride the web content or context. Students have an academic responsibility to exercise caution and restraint in citing on-line sources as valid sources of information and knowledge. There are some university on-line resources currently available to guide students in assessing whether the web site is a useful, reliable, credible, timely, authoritative, objective and fair source of information for a university project or paper.

One of the best outlines I found for evaluating web resources is presented by Prof. Robert Harris of the University of California. He proposes the CARS Checklist for assessing information quality on the world wide web:

• Credibility
• Accuracy
• Reasonableness
• Support

Prof. Harris' outline, as adapted here, includes:

• CREDIBILITY

• The author's credentials are clearly displayed, including education; training; contact information; and organizational affiliations;

• There is evidence of quality control, perhaps in the form of peer review of on-line articles and citation of sources.

• ACCURACY

• The information presented is current and timely;
• Comprehensive coverage of the issues;
• It is suitably presented for its stated purpose and audience.

• REASONABLENESS

• Fair;
• Objective;
• Moderate and temperate;
• Consistent;

• SUPPORT

• Avoids sweeping over-generalizations;
• Presents contrary viewpoints as well.

One method of validating the information is to "triangulate the data" by confirming the information and data with at least two other sources; try triangulation with sources other than the internet.

Secondly, there are several review guides that select or evaluate sites by standards of excellence and/or which offer evaluations of sites for quality, timeliness, layout and design. Use of these guides for topical searches can, but may not necessarily ensure greater reliability of the information. A few suggested review guides include:

About.com
http://miningco.com

UniGuide Academic Guide to the Internet
http://www.aldea.com/guides/ag/attframes2.html

Infomine--Scholarly Internet Resource Collections
http://lib-www.ucr.edu/

Digital Librarian: Librarian's Guide to the Internet---by Margaret Vail Anderson
http://www.digital-librarian.com

BUBL Link---A comprehensive subject guide from the Univ. of Bath in the UK.
http://www.bubl.ac.uk/link.

Grassian, Esther, "Thinking Critically About World Wide Web Resources, 20 February 1997. On-line. Internet [11-22-97]. Available on the world wide web: http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college/help/critical/index.htm

"Thinking Critically about Discipline-Based World Wide Web Resources," http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college/help/critical/discipline.htm

"Evaluating Web Sites," http://thorplus.lib.purdue.edu/~techman/eval.html

"Evaluating Web Resources--Strategy for Teaching Critical Evaluation Skills for World Wide Web Resources," Widener University, the Wolfgram Memorial Library: http://www2.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/webevaluation/webeval.htm

"Evaluating Web Pages: Links to Examples of Various Concepts," Widener University, the Wolfgram Memorial Library: http://www2.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/webevaluation/examples.htm

"Evaluating Web Sites," a selection of ongoing evaluation and research by students at the Cornell University: http://trochim.human.cornell.edu/webeval/webintro/webintro.htm

Citing Data Files and Internet Sources---by the Univ. of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, McIntyre Library.
http://www.uwec.edu/library/Guides/citation.html

For comments or questions about this page, please contact Prof. Philip Groth, UW-Rock County, 2909 Kellogg Avenue, Janesville, WI 53546. Telephone: 608-758-6545, or E-Mail:pgroth@uwc.edu . Created by Philip Groth and Janice Pierce on 01-15-98. Last updated on 05/09/03.

Prof. Philip G. Groth and the UW-Rock County presents the information and internet links on this site as a service to students, faculty, and the interested public. Due to the rapidly changing nature of the web, and our reliance upon information provided by outside sources, we make no warranty or guarantee concerning the accuracy or reliability of the content of this site or at any other sites to which we link. Prof. Groth, the UW Colleges, The Department of Anthropology and Sociology, and the UW-Rock County, shall not be liable in any event for incidental or consequential damages, in connection with, or arising out of, the use of this site, the WEB HAWG(S), or any other resources to which it links. There is no warranty, express or implied, of fitness for purpose or merchantability. Nor should any user infer that the links compiled herein represents an endorsement of views, opinions, or positions of these web authors. The informational links are offered in the spirit of academic freedom, freedom of expression, and the free exchange of ideas and information consistent with the mission of the University.