Lesson 3.

3: Evaluating Sites

The web provides access to some excellent information and can also give access to those that
are irrelevant and outdated. Here is some checklist that you can use to evaluate your website:
1. Authority. It reveals that the person, institution or agency responsible for a site has the
qualifications and knowledge to do so. Evaluating a web site for authority:
✓ Authorship: It should be clear who developed the site.
✓ Contact information should be clearly provided: e-mail address, snail mail address,
phone number, and fax number.
✓ Credentials: the author should state qualifications, credentials, or personal background
that gives them authority to present information.
✓ Check to see if the site supported by an organization or a commercial body

2. Purpose. The purpose of the information presented in the site should be clear. Some sites
are meant to inform, persuade, state an opinion, entertain, or parody something or someone.
Evaluating a web site for purpose:
✓ Does the content support the purpose of the site?
✓ Is the information geared to a specific audience (students, scholars, general reader)?
✓ Is the site organized and focused?
✓ Are the outside links appropriate for the site?
✓ Does the site evaluate the links?

3. Coverage. This refers to how comprehensive the website is in their discussion of certain
topics. Evaluating a web site for coverage:
✓ Does the site claim to be selective or comprehensive?
✓ Are the topics explored in depth?
✓ Compare the value of the site’s information compared to other similar sites.
✓ Do the links go to outside sites rather than its own?
✓ Does the site provide information with no relevant outside links?

4. Currency. It 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. Evaluating a web site for currency involves finding
the date information was:
✓ first written
 ✓ placed on the web
✓ last revised

5. Objectivity. Objective sites present information with a minimum of bias. Evaluating a web site
for objectivity:
✓ Is the information presented with a particular bias?
✓ Does the information try to sway the audience?
✓ Does site advertising conflict with the content?
✓ Is the site trying to explain, inform, persuade, or sell something?

6. Accuracy. It refers to the credibility of the website. Evaluating a web site for accuracy:
✓ Reliability: Is the author affiliated with a known, respectable institution?
✓ References: do statistics and other factual information receive proper references as to
their origin?
✓ Is the information comparable to other sites on the same topic?
✓ Does the text follow basic rules of grammar, spelling and composition?
✓ Is a bibliography or reference list included?
 Activity 3.3: Evaluating Websites: Checklist
This activity is adapted from the University of Maryland: Evaluating Web Sites: A Checklist
www.lib.umd.edu/tl/guides/evaluating-checklist

Directions:
1. Using the Internet, research on topics under CoVid-19 in the Philippines.
2. Read through the checklist and answer each question in your notebook.
3. Attach a printout of the web site you are evaluating and paste in your notebook:

Print out of the website

1. What is the URL or web address of the web site you are evaluating?

http://_____________________________________________________
2. What is the title of the web site? ____________________________________

AUTHORITY AND ACCURACY

Who is the author of the web site?

I couldn’t tell
The author is: _______________________________________
What authorship
clues did the URL (web address) provide? Check all that apply:

company (.com) country-specific site (e.g., .uk)

non-profit organization (.org) military site (.mil)

academic institution (.edu) network of computer (.net)

government agency (.gov) other? Please describe:

personal web page (e.g., www.jamieoliver.com)

PURPOSE AND CONTENT

What is the purpose of the web page or site? Check all that apply:

A personal web page

A company or organization web site
A forum for educational/public service information
A forum for scholarly/research information
For entertainment
An advertisement or electronic commerce
A forum for ideas, opinions, or points of view
Other – please explain:

In your own words, briefly describe the purpose of the web site:
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________

What does the web site provide? Check one:

 Balanced, objective or factual information
Biased, subjective or opinionated statements
Are the arguments well supported? ____ Yes ____ No
Both objective and subjective information
I couldn’t tell
Other – please explain:

Does the web site provide any contact information or means of communicating with the
author or webmaster? ____ Yes _____ No

CURRENCY

When was the web site last revised, modified, or updated?

I couldn’t tell
It was updated on:___________________________________

Is the site well maintained?

I couldn’t tell
Yes
No
File: Evaluating Websites: A Checklist University of Maryland Libraries * T&L * 2/2014

WHAT I HAVE LEARNED

Website evaluation is an important skill that everyone should practice and master through
time. It is always important to learn which information are relevant and reliable to be able to avoid
misinformation and be a victim of fake news.
 ASSESSMENT
Direction: Read each item carefully and choose the letter of the correct answer. Write your
answers on a separate sheet of paper or in your notebook.

1. What happens when a phrase or sentence is placed inside quotation marks when doing
research?
A. Will only return items that have both terms.
B. Will search for words that are together and in order
C. Will return items that exclude a term
D. Will return items that have either of the terms

2. What is a URL?
A. A computer software program
B. An acronym for Unlimited Resources for Learning
C. The address of a document or "page" on the World Wide Web
D. A search engine

3. What are the three main search expressions, or operators, recognized by Boolean logic?
A. and, or, not C. and, or, but
B. from, to, whom D. search, keyword, text

4. How do you evaluate a web page?

A. You confirm that the author or site an authority on the subject.
B. You check to see if the author has been objective.
C. You check to see if the information is current.
D. You do as many of the above as possible.

5. An article that only presents one point of view or omits facts is biased.
A. True B. False