WWW EVALUATION GUIDE

With all the information accessible on the Internet, it is important for you to become web literate. Ask yourself the following questions. They are listed in order to help you make some qualitative decisions about the information you find.

IDENTIFICATION

Is the following included and is it easily found on the site page?

• Name of sponsoring organization
• Name if an individual
• Qualifications of the organization or individual
• Full address
• E-mail
• Date of page
• Update information
• Copyright information for reprinting

CONTENT

Does the title of the page reflect the information found there?

Can the information be verified through another source?

Is there a bibliography or full references to other sources?

Is there a bias to the page?

HINT: Look at the domain name:

• .org = organization
• .com = commercial
• .gov = government agency

Is there advertising on the page?

Are there links that lead you to more information? What kind of sites are these?

VISUALS

Is the page easy to read?

Does the background of the page interfere with the text and icons?

If there are frames, are they easy to navigate?

Are the links "live" or do you get "404 ERROR"?

Are the icons and images helpful, or do they just fill up space?

Do the graphics load quickly?