Evaluating Websites for Educational Uses: Bibliography and Checklist
With millions of pages on the Web purporting to serve educational purposes, how do educators sort out the good from the bad, the useful ones from the time-wasters? Librarians and other information specialists share their expertise in evaluating Web information resources in the articles listed here. Included in this resource guide is a checklist of questions to ask when evaluating a Web site as a potential educational resource. More checklists are available in the articles cited.
Alexander, Janet E., and Marsha A. Tate. "Teaching Critical Evaluation Skills for World Wide Web Resources." Computers in Libraries 16, no. 10 (November/December 1996): 49-55.
Alexander, Janet E., and Marsha A. Tate. Web Wisdom: How to Evaluate and Create Information Quality on the Web. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1999. ISBN: 0-8058-3122-3 (cloth) or 0-8058-3123-1 (paper).
For more information, see: https://www.erlbaum.com/shop/tek9.asp?pg=products&specific=0-8058-3123-1
Auer, Nicole. "Bibliography on Evaluating Internet Resources." Blacksburg, VA: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
University, 1997.
http://www.lib.vt.edu/help/instruct/evaluate/evalbiblio.html
Branham, Craig. "A Student's Guide to Research with the WWW." St. Louis: St. Louis University English Dept., 1997.
http://www.slu.edu/departments/english/research/
Collins, Boyd R. "Beyond Cruising: Reviewing." Library Journal 121, no. 3 (February 15, 1996): 122-24.
Descy, Don. "Evaluating Internet Resources." TechTrends 41, no. 4 (September 1996): 3-5.
Eades, Lynn. "Live from the Internet and Beyond . . . Teaching Patrons to
Evaluate Internet Sites." LAUNC-CH News, no. 143, (October 1996): 4.
Also available online at http://www.unc.edu/lib/launcch/oct96n.htm#internet
Gilson, Tom. "Reviewing the Internet: The Infofilter Project." Against the Grain 8, no. 1 (February 1996): 58.
Also available online at http://www.usc.edu/users/help/flick/Infofilter/atg.html
Grassian, Esther. "Thinking Critically about World Wide Web Resources." Los Angeles: UCLA College Library, 1996, 2000.
http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college/help/critical/index.htm
Harris, Robert. "Evaluating Internet Research Sources." 1997.
http://www.virtualsalt.com/evalu8it.htm
Jing, Wan. "Internet Resource Selection Criteria: A Case Study at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology." Chinese Librarianship:
An International Electronic Journal no. 18 (December 1, 2004).
http://www.white-clouds.com/iclc/cliej/cl18wan.htm
Kapoun, Jim. "Teaching Undergrads Web Evaluation: A Guide for Library Instruction" College & Research Libraries News 59, no. 7 (July/August 1998): 522-3.
http://www.ala.org/acrl/undwebev.html
Kirk, Elizabeth E. "Evaluating Information Found on the Internet." Baltimore MD: Johns Hopkins University, 2001.
http://www.library.jhu.edu/researchhelp/general/evaluating/
Rettig, James. "Beyond 'Cool': Analog Models for Reviewing Digital Resources." Online 20, no. 6 (September/October 1996): 52-54, 56, 58-62, 64.s
Rettig, James, and Cheryl LaGuardia. "Beyond 'Beyond Cool': Reviewing Web Resources." Online 23, no. 4 (July/August 1999): 51-55.
Schrock, Kathleen. "Kathy Schrock's Guide for Educators: Critical Evaluation Surveys." Yarmouth, MA: Dennis-Yarmouth Regional School District, 1995-99.
http://discoveryschool.com/schrockguide/eval.html
Smith, Alastair G. "Evaluation of Information Sources." The World-Wide Web Virtual Library, 1997, 2001.
http://www.vuw.ac.nz/~agsmith/evaln/evaln.htm
Smith, Alastair G. "Testing the Surf: Criteria for Evaluating Internet Information Resources." The Public-Access Computer Systems Review 8, no. 3
(1997).
http://info.lib.uh.edu/pr/v8/n3/smit8n3.html
Tillman, Hope N. "Evaluating Quality on the Net." From a paper presented at Computers in Libraries, Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia, Monday, February 26, 1996.
http://www.hopetillman.com/findqual.html
University of California Berkeley Library. "Evaluating Web Pages:
Techniques to Apply & Questions to Ask." 2005.
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html
Wolfgram Memorial Library. Widener University. "Evaluate Web Pages" Tutorial and Exercise.
http://www.widener.edu/Tools_Resources/Libraries/Wolfgram_Memorial_Library/Evaluate_Web_Pages/659/
A Checklist of Questions for Evaluating Web Sites
- Who is the author/source?
- What are the author's reputation and qualifications in the subject covered?
- Is the information on the site accurate?
- Is the information presented in an objective, balanced manner?
- How does the site compare with other sites on the same subject?
- Does the site contribute something unique on the subject?
- Is the material on the site covered adequately?
- How current is the information?
- Is the site appropriate for the intended audience?
- Is the information well-written?
- How stable is the connection to the site?
- How well is the site maintained?
- Does the site tell you when it was last updated?
- If there are links to other sites, do they work?
- Is it easy to move around and locate information on the site?
- Does the site require additional software or hardware?
- Do illustrations, video, or audio add value to the site?
