Dalhousie University Libraries - Checklist for Evaluating Web Sites

Checklist for Evaluating Web Sites

Try to answer as many of the questions as possible by circling Yes or No. The greater number of times you answered Yes, the more likely the page is of higher informational quality.

Title of Web site: ______________________________________________
URL: ________________________________________________________
Date evaluated: _______________________________________________

AUTHORITY
Authority reveals that the person, institution or agency responsible for a site has the qualifications and knowledge to do so.
Is it clear who developed the site?	Yes No
Has the author clearly provided all contact information including: e-mail address, snail mail address, phone number, and fax number?	Yes No
Has the author clearly stated their qualifications, credentials, or provided some personal background information, that gives them the authority to present the information on the site?	Yes No
Is the site supported by an organization or a commercial body?	Yes No

PURPOSE
The author should be clear about the purpose of the information presented in the site. Some sites are meant to inform, persuade, state an opinion, entertain, or parody something or someone.
What is the purpose of the site and does the content support it?	Yes No
Does the domain name of the site indicate its purpose?	Yes No
Is the site well organized and focussed?	Yes No
Are the links appropriate for the topic of the site?	Yes No
Are the links evaluated at all?	Yes No
Is the information geared toward a specific audience ( students, scholars, general reader)?	Yes No

COVERAGE
It is often difficult to assess the extent of coverage since the depth in a site, through the use of links, can be infinite. One author may claim to present comprehensive coverage of a topic while another may cover just one aspect of a topic.
Does the site claim to be comprehensive?	Yes No
Are the topics explored in depth?	Yes No
Is the web site valuable compared to others on the same topic?	Yes No
Does the site provide its own information instead of depending on outside links?	Yes No
Does the site have relevant outside links?	Yes No

CURRENCY
The currency of the site refers to: 1) how current the information presented is, and 2) how often the site is updated or maintained. It is important to know when a site was created, when it was last updated, and if all of the links are current.
Is the date the information was first written given?	Yes No
Is the date the information was placed on the web given?	Yes No
Is the date the information was last revised given?	Yes No
Are the links up-to-date and reliable?	Yes No
Is the information timeless rather than trend-related so that its usefulness is not limited to a certain time period?	Yes No
Is the site fully developed? (ie. no construction signs)	Yes No

OBJECTIVITY
The objectivity of the site should be clear. Beware of sites that contain a certain bias. Objective sites will present information with a minimum of bias, without the intention to persuade.
Is the information presented without a particular bias?	Yes No
Does the information avoid trying to sway the audience?	Yes No
Does the site avoid advertising that may be a conflict of interest with the content?	Yes No
Does the site avoid trying to persuade or sell something?	Yes No

ACCURACY
There are few standards available on the web to verify the accuracy of information. It is the responsibility of the reader to beware of the information presented. Be sure to differentiate fact from opinion.
Is the information reliable? If the author is affiliated with a known institution, this could be a clue.	Yes No
If statistics and other factual information are presented, are proper references given for the origin of the information?	Yes No
From the reading you have already done on the subject does the information on the site seem accurate?	Yes No
Is the information provided comparable to other sites on the same topic?	Yes No
Does the text follow basic rules of grammar, spelling and composition?	Yes No
Is a bibliography or reference list included?	Yes No

Overall opinion of website based on results of checklist:

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Site originally created by Sue Hunter January 19, 1999; last updated March 14, 2007

Related Pages:

Checklist for Evaluating Web Sites