Evaluating Information, Part Three
Evaluating Web Sites
Sure, you can find some great information on the World Wide Web. But just because information is there and easy to find doesn't mean it's good information.
Unlike books and periodicals, it's easy and cheap (or free) to publish a Web page.
The majority of Web sites have no editor or review process to verify the accuracy or content of the site. On the Web, anyone can write whatever they want. (We're talking about sites that you find on the open, free Web, not library databases.)
Is there good stuff on the Web? Yes. Is there great stuff on the Web? Yes. Is there crummy stuff? You bet.
If you use Web sites for information (and who doesn't?) the responsibility is yours -- yours -- to evaluate every single site, every single time.
Outcomes
After completing the series of three evaluation modules, you will be able to
- Evaluate the usefulness and relevance of any source.
- Define and apply evaluation criteria to any source.
- Use quality sources of information for your research.
updated:
28 August, 2009