Accuracy

• Who is the author?  Is there contact information for the author? Email address? Contact address? Phone number?
• Does the information provide enough detail?
• Is the author different from the Webmaster?
• Is the page well organized?  Does it load well?  Are the ideas clearly stated?  Is the language used appropriate to the purpose of the page?

• Who published the page?  What kind of institution is hosting the page?
• What are the author’s credentials or qualifications?
• What kind of activities is the hosting institution engaged in?

• Is the information presented balanced?  Is it free from bias?
• Does the information represent fact or opinion?  If opinion, whose?  If fact, how can you be sure it’s reliable?  Where did the facts come from?
• Is there evidence that the information is well researched or documented?
• Why was the page written?  For whom was the page written?
• Is there any bias in the information?  Is there any reason to suspect a bias, i.e., the business of the publishing institution or the author?
• Is the page trying to persuade you in any way?  If so, how?
• Is the page trying to sell you anything?  If so, how obviously?

• When was the page published?  Has it been updated?
• Is the page (or the update) recent enough to be useful to your topic?
• Are the links current?  Is there evidence that the links are checked and updated regularly?
• Are there any dead links?  Does this suggest anything to you?
• Is the information on the page current and still relevant?

• Does the information focus on a geographical area or a specific time period?
• Is the information well focused around a topic?
• Do the links found on the page complement the page theme?  Were they carefully chosen?
• Are there any annotations for the provided links?
• Is the information presented in an appropriate balance of text and images?
• Is a fee required to obtain the information?  If so, why?

Five Colleges of Ohio Research Tutorial, http://www.denison.edu/ohio5/infolit/efaluate and http://www.densison.edu/ohio5/infolit/b5webresearch/web8.htm , 
        <accessed 9/25/00>

Kapoun, Jim.  1998.  Teaching undergrads Web evaluation: a guide for
         library instruction, College & Research Libraries News, v. 59 
         (July/Aug.), 522-3.

Web Site Analysis, 
       http://www.hamline.edu/library/bush/handouts/webanal.htm, 
       <accessed 5/12/99>