Judging WebPagesJudging WebPages

AnyoneAnyone can post can post anythinganything on the world wide on the world wide web. Not all the information on a web page web. Not all the information on a web page may be factual. There are many things to may be factual. There are many things to consider when viewing information on a consider when viewing information on a webpage.webpage.

The URL The site’s URL may say something important

about the website. Read the URL; if it has a personal name (such as bob) following a punctuation mark or if it has any words such as users, members, etc. the contents may be questionable. Also, if the web server is an organization like aol.com or geocities.com, it may be questionable. Note: Personal pages are not necessarily questionable.,

but the information contained must be investigated thoroughly. There is usually no organization that oversees personal web pages.

Page TypesPage Types

If a web page has a .com in its address, it is If a web page has a .com in its address, it is possibly from a commercial organization. This is not possibly from a commercial organization. This is not necessarily bad, but it is a page that needs to be necessarily bad, but it is a page that needs to be investigated.investigated.

If a web page has an .org, in its URL it is possibly If a web page has an .org, in its URL it is possibly from a non-profit organization, though this from a non-profit organization, though this restriction is not strictly followed at this point.restriction is not strictly followed at this point.

If a webpage has an .edu it is not necessarily from a If a webpage has an .edu it is not necessarily from a reputable source. For example, a page could be reputable source. For example, a page could be from a professor, or it could be from a student that from a professor, or it could be from a student that was created for fun!was created for fun!

Country codes in a web address are no longer Country codes in a web address are no longer tightly controlled. tightly controlled.

Published By An Entity That Makes Published By An Entity That Makes SenseSense

Looking at the URL, is the information on the web Looking at the URL, is the information on the web page published by an organization that you have page published by an organization that you have heard of or that makes sense? heard of or that makes sense? – Note: The publisher is usually seen in the web address Note: The publisher is usually seen in the web address

between the http:// and the first between the http:// and the first – Note: You can usually trust information published from a Note: You can usually trust information published from a

source such as the New York Times. Even though it is source such as the New York Times. Even though it is on the web, it has individuals who are responsible for on the web, it has individuals who are responsible for editing the information on the web pageediting the information on the web page

Judging Specific Web PagesJudging Specific Web Pages

On most legitimate web pages, there are links On most legitimate web pages, there are links that say “About us,” “Philosophy,” “Background,” that say “About us,” “Philosophy,” “Background,” “Biography,” etc. If these types of links are not “Biography,” etc. If these types of links are not present, the information may be available by present, the information may be available by truncating the web address. truncating the web address. Most legitimate web pages have a note on when Most legitimate web pages have a note on when it was last updated. If this is relevant, the date it was last updated. If this is relevant, the date might be important.might be important.If advertising is on the page, it should be clearly If advertising is on the page, it should be clearly differentiated from the content of the page.differentiated from the content of the page.

Questions To AskQuestions To Ask

Who wrote the page? (personal Who wrote the page? (personal author or organization)author or organization)– Note: An email address is Note: An email address is notnot sufficient! sufficient!– What are the author’s credentials?What are the author’s credentials?

What is the purpose of the web What is the purpose of the web page?page?

Is the page simply a rant, a personal Is the page simply a rant, a personal opinion, etc.?opinion, etc.?

Indicators of Quality: 1Indicators of Quality: 1

Look for links to other web Look for links to other web pages/documentspages/documents

Are there footnotes?Are there footnotes?– Note: On the web, it is possible to Note: On the web, it is possible to

create false references!create false references!– Note: What types of publications Note: What types of publications

and/or sites are given?and/or sites are given?

Indicators of Quality: 2Indicators of Quality: 2

Are there links? Do the links work?Are there links? Do the links work?

How clean is the page?How clean is the page?

How easy is it to navigate within the page?How easy is it to navigate within the page?

Indicatos of Quality: 3Indicatos of Quality: 3

Is the information on the web page Is the information on the web page simply retyped from another source? simply retyped from another source? Note: Retyped sources can be easily Note: Retyped sources can be easily

altered!altered! Note: If the original source is available Note: If the original source is available

on-line, why isn’t there a link rather than on-line, why isn’t there a link rather than a retyping?a retyping?

Indicators of Quality: 4Indicators of Quality: 4

• Are there links to other resources on the web? Is this relevant? Are they relevant links?– Note: Many documents on the web offer links

to other pages on the web that the author considers relevant. Are the links relevant? Are the links to other viewpoints (if relevant)? Can you use the links?

What Do Others Say?: 1What Do Others Say?: 1

It is often valuable to know what others It is often valuable to know what others say about a particular web site. One way say about a particular web site. One way to do this is to click on to do this is to click on alexa.comalexa.com. .

In In alexa.comalexa.com, you can find traffic , you can find traffic details (if the site is not ever visited, it details (if the site is not ever visited, it might be a sign that it has information that might be a sign that it has information that should be questioned), related links, web should be questioned), related links, web sites that link to this page, etc.sites that link to this page, etc.

What Do Other Say?: 2What Do Other Say?: 2In the major search engines (such as In the major search engines (such as google.com and yahoo.com), you can find google.com and yahoo.com), you can find out what web sites link to a particular web out what web sites link to a particular web page. This may prove to be important to page. This may prove to be important to gather further information. In the search gather further information. In the search box, type:box, type:– Link: url addressLink: url address– You can evaluate the web site by asking who You can evaluate the web site by asking who

lnks to the page, what kinds of sites link to the lnks to the page, what kinds of sites link to the page, and what is said on these links? You can page, and what is said on these links? You can often use these links!often use these links!

What Do Others Say?: 3 You can look up the web page in a trusted

directory, such as librarian’s index (lii.org), infomine (infomine.ucr,edu) or about.com.

Note: Inclusion in a trusted directory is valuable, as these directories only include a small fraction of web pages available

Look up the author’s name in a search engine such as google.com or yahoo.com

. Note: Consider what is said about an author

Final Questions: 1Final Questions: 1

Does it all add up?Does it all add up?Why was the page put on Why was the page put on

the web? the web? To inform, give facts or give data?To inform, give facts or give data? To explain or persuade?To explain or persuade? To sell something?To sell something? To share?To share? To disclose?To disclose?

Final Questions: 2 Is the page serious or ironic?

What is the tone of the page? Humorous? Ironic? Exaggerated?

Are there outrageous images?

Final Questions: 3

Is the web page as credible as other sources available in the library?

In general, published information is considered more accurate than that found on the web. This is because published information is usually evaluated by authorities in a field, while anyone can put anything on the world wide web.