2nd IF Assignment
Web Site Evaluation

To create a checklist for Web site evaluation
that can be used for some particular
purpose relevant to the student’s own
interests or major. How would the student
know whether the site was a good one?
How would one make a determination
regarding reliability of information, the
purpose of the site, and so on?
Student Produced Evaluation Form with their
Commentary-Collaborative Document
©
Information Fluency
Web Site Evaluation
Dr. Nancy Stanlick
PHI 2010H
November 21, 2006
Ryan Beasley
Ian Corey
John De Sousa
Benjamin Ellis
Andrew Erdal
John-Mark Hemphill
Sean Lai
Kathryn Magloff
Christopher Pugh
Michael Register
Robert Slade
Nathan Sriboonlue
Andrew Trostle
The contents of the Web Site Evaluation Form are used by
permission of the UCF students named above. They are the
copyright owners of the document.
Project Overview
The purpose of this document is to provide
a clear, universal guideline for the
evaluation of internet resources for their
use in academic research.
Project Rationale

In recent years the Internet has become a primary source of
scholarly material and research. Many publications of merit are
available through online sources, and much can be learned from
this information. Much of the internet is an open forum, allowing
for the free flow of vast amounts of ideas and information. This
freedom allows for greater access to assorted raw data as well as
formulated research. Simultaneously, this freedom also allows for
the rapid transfer of uninformed, uneducated misinformation. The
availability of so much valuable information makes the internet a
necessary resource for modern research, but the possibility of
receiving obsolete, biased, or erroneous information remains a
possibility. How then, can one separate the credible data from the
unreliable?
Project Rationale Continued

The following checklist can be used as a
guideline for determining the credibility of a
website or other Internet resource.
 It must be stated, however, that along with the
use of tools, such as this document, in
determining the reliability of information found
on the Internet, the user’s common sense and
judgment must be the final filter for
determining whether to include a piece of
information within their research.
Website Evaluation Checklist
Web page Content:
The webpage is kept up to date with current information.
The information provided is relevant to your research topic.
Opposing views are acknowledged fully and respectfully.
Recognize that the information presented is Fact or Opinion.
The information is supported by other scholarly works.
The research is presented as primary or secondary
research.
Requires 4 of 6 to be considered a credible source
Checklist Continued
Webpage Location:
The webpage is sponsored by a credible source such as:
-A reliable news organization (CNN, FoxNews, BBC,
Time…)
-An accredited education facility or University (UCF.EDU…)
-A government website (LOC.GOV, DARPA.MIL,
DDB.DE…)
-A trustworthy and relevant organization or company
The webpage was found on a scholarly database search.
The webpage is not (owned by) an advertisement for a
product.
Requires 2 of 3 to be considered a credible source
Checklist Continued
Author / Publisher:
The author’s credentials are presented or
easily available.
The author is considered a known expert in
the area.
Recognize any potential bias by the author
or affiliated site.
Requires 2 of 3 to be considered a
credible source
Checklist Continued
Documentation:
Webpage appears to honor all copyright
and trademark laws.
All links to other websites are current,
relevant and credible.
All sources used are current, relevant,
credible, and cited.
Requires 3 of 3 to be considered a
credible source
Checklist Continued
General Design:
Webpage layout and design have a
professional appearance.
All information is clear and shows in-depth
understanding.
Website seems well planned, navigable,
and easy to use.
Requires 1 of 3 to be considered a
credible source
Student “Tips & Cautions”
The following are some basic
recommendations and warnings
generated by students, designed to help
guide a researcher through the process
of finding and then determining whether
or not to use a source.
T&C
(1)
Wikipedia.com
Robert Slade
 Wikipedia.com is a useful general information website which can
be used for baseline research; however, wikipedia should not be
used as a cited references source in a scholarly work.
(2)
Author Credibility
- Kathryn Magloff

Don't rely on only one technique for checking website or
author credibility. For example, a page on a “.edu” website could
have been written by a student who has nearly no authority on
the subject. Or, an article on a .com site could have been written
by an author who verifiably has a Ph.D. in the subject matter and
has conducted years of research. Therefore, check all points of
credibility and use discretion in choosing your sources.
T&C
(3) Search Engine Guidelines
- Chris Pugh

Search engines are typically commercial and their parent companies often
take payments for special listings on the search engine results. These are
typically labeled or highlighted in a different color. On Google they are at the top
of the page and in a sidebar, with the label "sponsored links." It is important to be
aware of this, even if being paid for does not necessarily invalidate the
link. Additionally, different search engines have different databases and will yield
different results. Some examples of the most common search engines include:
Google.com, MSN.com, Yahoo.com, Ask.com, Dogpile.com, and HotBot.com.
(4) Language
- Ian Corey

Some sites that often have coarse language, excessive expletives, or an
overall base diction, will often not be credible. These sites are usually very poorly
done and do not even sound like they hold any water. Even though the author
may be a professor, have a degree and be otherwise credible, the presentation of
the information is in such an informal manner that the credibility is compromised.
Also, look for standard things that, say, an English teacher would look for in a
paper. If there are multiple spelling errors, punctuation errors, or grammar errors
then the information is not professional, and therefore may not be as credible as
other publications.
T&C Continued
(5) Search Engine Lingo
- Michael
Register

Search engines have different rules, tools and syntax that allow the user to come up
with a more accurate search. It is important to know how to make the best use of a search
engine. Many search engines also provide a tab that allows the user to make an advanced
search and should be taken advantage of. An example of some common syntax can be found
online at: www.google.com/help/cheatsheet.html
(6) Links and Citation.
- Andrew Erdal

The links found on a web page can tell you a lot about the credibility of the page you
are considering to use as a source. If the sites that are linked from a page are credible, then it
is more likely that the content from the original page is reliable as well. If links to sites with
opposing viewpoints are provided, it shows that the original site is objective and less affected
by bias, whereas an absence of any opposing views can indicate a bias by the authors. It can
also be useful to see if other reliable sites link to the page you are planning on using, as this
lends credibility to your source. Checking the links can also provide you with more information
that could be useful to your research.

Documentation is very important to the credibility of a website. If the site contains
information that is not the original work of the author, then this information should be cited
somewhere on the page. Also, if any information on the page is reproduced from a
copyrighted site, then you should look for proof that the author had permission to do so. If
citation is not present, then the site is probable not credible. However, if there is citation
provided, check to see if any links are provided. This can point you to more information that
may be of use.
T & C Continued
(7) Bias
Andrew Trostle

On top of knowing what type of website one is looking at (.gov, .com, .edu,
etc.) one must also note the bias of the author and the website. If one is
researching American business success and is reading an article on an American
business web page then it must be realized that the information will have a degree
of bias. The level of bias can only be determined by the reader, but it must be
noted when determining the reliability of a website.
(8) Purpose
- John-Mark
Hemphill

Check to make sure the intent of the article suits your research topic. If you
are researching something political and find a paper written by an English
professor, although he may be considered a credible source, the topic may not be
a factual document on politics. Many articles and works found on the internet are
tongue-in-cheek or satire, and should generally not be used for research
projects. Make sure that the intent of the author in writing their document
matches your intent in writing yours.
T & C Continued
(9) Intended Audience
Nathan Sriboonlue

All works have at least one specific target audience and it is important to be
able to identify them when you are evaluating sources. The website could be too
elementary, too technical, too diverse, or too political for your personal needs, but
it could still be considered a perfect source for others. One appropriate source
could outweigh the usefulness of five diverse sources that are not specifically
related to your needs.
(10)
Homepage
- Ryan Beasley

A good way to determine a website’s credibility is to check the home page
of the web site to determine what kind of site it is. This is done by highlighting and
deleting all of the text after the domain in the web address (e.g. for the web site
www.google.com/mail/). Then go to the new website.
(11)
Links
- Ben Ellis
Instead of searching through Google and clicking through the 12,000+ search
results, start at website you know to be factual and credible (e.g. www.nasa.gov)
then click through the links they provide. These websites take the time to search
for relevant information; use the work others did to help you in your own search.
You may not get as many results, but the results you obtain will often be more
accurate.
T&C
(12)
Aesthetics
- Sean Lai

Scholarly websites won't often have fancy flash animations
assisting navigation or anything similar, though they might, indeed, look
professional. Look for simple layouts and minimal pictures (with the
exception of perhaps a self portrait if the site is a professor’s personal
page); also, stay away from bright colors and anything that gives the
webpage a cartoonish feel (i.e. altered cursor, .gif animations)
(13) UCF Library
John De Sousa

The UCF library website (currently http://library.ucf.edu/) hosts a
database with access to a large amount of online periodicals. Assuming
your area of research is covered by scholarly journals; you can search
through those and find reputable articles. If you have no idea which
journal to check, ask a librarian for help in selecting the appropriate
source.