Site Evaluation
Technical and visual aspects of the page
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Does the page take a long time to load?
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Is the spelling correct on the page?
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Are the headings and subheadings helpful?
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Can you see the name of the author? Is the author’s email available?
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Is the format readable with your browser?
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If there are images, is there a text alternative?
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On supporting pages, is there a link back to the main page?
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If there are images on the page, can you be sure that the images have not been edited?
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Now find the source of the information by dissecting the URL.
A ~ in the URL means that it is a personal web page on a server.
What does the domain tell you about the site? (edu/com/org…) Take away each level by deleting after each / to find the home site.
Content
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Is the title of the page indicative of the content? |
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Is the purpose of the site indicated and clear on the main page? |
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When was the document created? |
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Is there a date that tells you when the page was last updated? |
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Does the date matter for this site’s information? |
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Would information about this topic from somewhere else be different? |
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Does the information appear to have any agenda or bias? What kind? |
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Does the information contradict something that you found somewhere else? |
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How do the pictures add to the content of the site? |
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Now find out who owns the page and make some guesses about why they published this page.
Authority
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Who created the page and is it clearly stated? |
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Does the author show where the information came from/ |
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What organization is the person affiliated with? |
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Can you tell if other experts in the field think this is a reputable site? |
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What can you do to validate the information? |
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If you search the author, can you find information that leads you to believe that the author is an expert in this subject? |
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What kind of advertising is on the page? |
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Who might be the intended audience for the site? |
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Are required plug-ins or other helper applications clearly identified? |
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Are links to more information provided? |
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Now find the sites that link to this site and how they link.
In Google: link:URL
How has the site changed over time?
Can you make some guesses about why it changed?
Use the Wayback Machine
Does it all add up? What questions do you have?