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Website Development & Hosting

.ive Criteria for Evaluating Web Pages

Evaluation of Web Documents

How to Interpret the Basics

1. Accuracy of Web Documents 

Accuracy 

a

Who  wrote  the  page  and  can  you

a

Make sure author provides email or a

contact the writer? 

contact address/phone number

a

What is the purpose of the document

a

Know the distinction between author

and why was it produced? 

and webmaster 

a

Is  this  person  qualified  to  write  this

document? 

2. Authority of Web Documents 

Authority 

a

Who published the document and is it

a

What  credentials  are  listed  for  the

separate from the webmaster?

author(s)? 

a

Check  the  domain  of  the  document,

a

Where  is  the  document  published?

what  institution  publishes  this

Check URL domain

document? 

a

Does  the  publisher  list  his  or  her

qualifications? 

3. Objectivity of Web Documents 

Objectivity 

a

What goals/objectives does this page

a

Determine  if  page  is  a  mask  for

meet? 

advertising;  if  so  information  might

a

How detailed is the information? 

be biased

a

What opinions (if any) are expressed

a

View any web page as you would an

by the author? 

infomercial  on  television.  Ask

yourself why was this written and for

whom?

4. Currency of Web Documents 

Currency 

a

When was it produced? 

a

How  many  dead  links  are  on  the

a

When was it updated? 

page? 

a

How up-to-date are the links (if any)? 

a

Are  the  links  current  or  updated

regularly? 

a

Is  the  information  on  the  page

outdated?

5. Coverage of the Web Documents 

Coverage 

a

Are the links (if any) evaluated and do

a

If  page  requires  special  software  to

they  complement  the  documents'

view the information, how much are

theme? 

you  missing  if  you  don't  have  the

a

Is it all images or a balance of text and

software? 

images? 

a

Is it free or is there a fee to obtain the

a

Is  the  information  presented  cited

information?  Is  there  an  option  for

correctly?

text  only,  or  frames,  or  a  suggested

browser for better viewing? 

Copyright  NESIS 2002

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