Evaluation of information sources

This page contains pointers to criteria for evaluating information resources, particularly those on the Internet. It is intended to be particularly useful to librarians and others who are selecting sites to include in an information resource guide, or informing users as to the qualities they should use in evaluating Internet information. Feedback and suggestions of other sites for inclusion are welcomed by the site maintainer, Alastair Smith.

• General selection criteria
• Bibliography on Evaluating Internet Resources/ Nicole Auer, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
• Resource evaluation for BIOME- detailed criteria used for selecting resources for this UK guide to biomedical information.
• Brandt, D. Scott (May 1996). Evaluating Information on the Internet. Computers in Libraries 16(5) (May 1996): 44-46. Available at http://thorplus.lib.purdue.edu/~techman/evaluate.htm
• Criteria for Assessing the Quality of Health Information on the Internet - Policy Paper/ Health Summit Working Group. Presents a set of seven criteria developed for use in evaluating the quality of health information provided on the Internet. Used to develop the Information Quality Tool "The IQ Tool helps you become an educated consumer by helping you ask the right questions".
• Critical Evaluation of Resources/ Margaret Phillips, UC Berkeley Library. Suggestions for evaluating a range of resources, including books, articles and websites. Covers suitablility, authority, other indicators, reference sources, and provides links.
• Criteria for evaluation of Internet Information Resources/ Alastair Smith
• Critical Evaluation Surveys/ Kathleen Schrock - criteria for elementary, middle, and secondary school levels.
• Database quality criteria. This list is based on Reva Basch's article in October 1990 Database Searcher, Measuring the Quality of the Data, and relates particularly to online bibliographic databases.
• Developing Web Site Selection Criteria/ James Testa. Outlines the process ISI uses to evaluate web sites for inclusion in its databases.
• Ed's OASIS: with examples of criteria/worksheets for evaluating educational sites, and examples from a teacher's and a student's point of view.
• An Educators' Guide to Credibility and Web Evaluation / Toni Greer et al. Website for a course in internet resource evaluation. Considers "the following factors: 1. Reasons to evaluate; 2. Methods of evaluation; and 3. Teaching Web evaluation".
• Evaluate Web Resources http://www.clubi.ie/webserch/resources/index.htm Detailed checklist under: Introduction, Source, Site/Article, Content, Structure/ Navigation, Links, Site Integrity/ Access
• Evaluating Foreign and International Legal Databases on the Internet http://www.llrx.com/features/evaluating.htm/ Mirela Roznovschi. Suggests criteria for evaluating legal databases on the Internet.
• Evaluating Health Web Sites/ Jana Allcock. "Points to look at when evaluating health sites".
• Evaluating information found on the Internet/ Elizabeth Kirk, Johns Hopkins University
• Evaluating Information: Some questions to help you judge Online Information/ Jacob Hespeler Library
• Evaluating Internet Research Sources/ Robert Harris, Southern California College. Provides a set of evaluative tests and advice to readers on how to evaluate web information.
• Evaluating Internet Resources: A checklist/ Infopeople.  "Provides a starting point for evaluating the World Wide Web sites and other Internet information" - Authority/ Affiliation/ Currency/ Purpose/ Audience/ Compared to What?/ Conclusion.
• Evaluating Internet Resources: An Annotated Guide to Selected Resources Library of Congress list of links to "a number of such guides representing a variety of approaches, which together provide an overview of major issues to be considered when evaluating Internet resources".
• "Evaluating Internet Resources: Identity, Affiliation, and Cognitive Authority in a Networked World." John W. Fritch and Robert L. Cromwell JASIST Volume 52, No.6, April, 2001 p. 499-507. Suggests specific steps to establish authority and bias in web pages. Abstract at http://www.asis.org/Publications/JASIS/vol52n6.html.
• Evaluating quality on the net/ Hope Tillman
• Evaluating the quality of web sites/ E. Barbara Meyer. Some basic points: Who is responsible? Is the URL appropriate? Who do they link to? Who links to them? Use common sense.
• Evaluating Web Pages: Techniques to Apply & Questions to Ask/ Joe Barker, UC Berkeley Library. What can the URL tell you?/ Scan the perimeter of the page, looking for answers to these questions..../ Look for indicators of quality information/ What do others say?/ Does it all add up?/ 
• Evaluating Web Sites/ Sandra Wittman. A brief list of criteria, and links to related sites.
• Evaluating Websites / William Trochim: describes a project to evaluate website technology.
• Evaluating Web Sites: Criteria and Tools Part of a Cornell University site on carrying out research. Looks at context, evaluation criteria web reviews and rankings and includes a Webliography.
• Evaluation of Web Sites/ Ohio State University Libraries. Brief frames based tutorial with links to example sites. "Goal: Become an informed consumer of Web-based information. Time: 15-30 minutes"
• Evaluation Rubrics for Websites - includes forms ("rubrics") that rubrics that either primary, intermediate, or secondary students can use to evaluate websites. Part of a larger site with information on establishing school web sites.
• Five criteria for evaluating Web pages - A basic set of criteria (accuracy, authority, objectivity, currency, coverage) based on: Kapoun, Jim. "Teaching undergrads WEB evaluation: A guide for library instruction." C&RL News (July/August 1998): 522-523.
• Getting It Right: Verifying Sources on the Net/ Sabrina I. Pacifici. This guide provides strategies and tools to assist you in the task of evaluating website content: analysing addresses, asking librarians, applying a checklist, checking domain registration.
• Edwards, Judith (1998). The good, the bad and the useless: evaluating Internet resources. Ariadne 16 (July) http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue16/digital/
• The Good, The Bad & The Ugly: or, Why It's a Good Idea to Evaluate Web Sources/ Susan E. Beck: discusses criteria of Accuracy, Authority, Objectivity, Currency, Coverage, with links to examples.
• How to Critically Analyze Information Sources/ Cornell University Library (This deals with information sources in general, but contains useful criteria)
• How To Evaluate A Web Site/ LaJean Humphries. Lists evaluation sites; gives advice on training in web evaluation; offers brief criteria: "Is the information current, accurate and complete?", "Is the information unbiased?", "Quality of writing".
• How to Evaluate Medical Information Found on the Internet/ California Medical Association. "Suggestions for judging the reliability and quality of health and medical information found via internet resources, from staff of the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), plus additional commentary by CMA Library staff".
• ICYouSee: T is for Thinking John Henderson's five suggestions when examining Web pages.
• Internet Detective: an interactive tutorial on evaluating the quality of Internet resources. "An informal but comprehensive online tutorial designed to teach the skills required to critically evaluate the quality of information found on the Internet. The tutorial includes interactive quizzes, worked examples and practical hint and tips. ...Uses the TONIC-NG system hosted at Netskills"
• OASIS: Student Evaluation Methods for World Wide Web Resources/ ThanhTruc T. Nguyen. An evaluation tool for high school students to use in selecting appropriate resources from the World Wide Web as information resources
• Internet Source Validation Project/ Memorial University of Newfoundland - guidelines for evaluating web sources used in student work.
• Library Selection Criteria for WWW Resources/ Carolyn Caywood
• Measuring quality and impact of the world wide web/ Jeremy C Wyatt. BMJ No 7098 Volume 314 28 June 1997. Evaluating medical web sites, includes a useful table "Aspects of a web site which need to be considered when evaluating its reliability"
• Clement, Gail P. Pharmaceutical Resources on the Internet: Criteria for Assessing Quality and Value.
• Publishers Wanted, No Experience Necessary: Information Quality on the Web / Genie Tyburski. Law Library Resource Exchange 24 June 1997. Gives examples of five characteristics for identifying information quality on the web: timeliness, expediency, accuracy, objectivity, and authenticity.
• Resource selection and information evaluation/ Lisa Janicke
• Selection: What Makes a Great Web site? From ALA's ALSC Children and Technology Committee, the selection guidelines from 700+ Great Sites for Children
• Smith, Alastair G. (1997) Testing the Surf: Criteria for Evaluating Internet Information Resources. The Public-Access Computer Systems Review 8, no. 3 http://info.lib.uh.edu/pr/v8/n3/smit8n3.html
• Spotlight on BUBL/ Traugott Koch. This evaluation of BUBL includes some useful evaluation criteria that could be applied to other resources.
• Teaching Critical Evaluation Skills for World Wide Web Resources   Jan Alexander and Marsha Ann Tate at Widener University: provide materials to assist in the teaching of how to evaluate Web resources. It focuses on teaching how to develop critical thinking skills which can be applied to evaluating Web pages. Useful evaluation checklists for Advocacy, Business/Marketing, Informationa, News, and Personal web Pages. Presentation on Advertising and Sponsorship on the Web. Alexander and Tait are the authors of Web Wisdom: How to Evaluate and Create Information Quality on the Web.
• Thinking Critically about World Wide Web Resources/ Esther Grassian, UCLA College Library
• Tips for Evaluating A World Wide Web Search/ Jana Edwards, University of Florida. Guidelines for evaluating a WWW search result under the headings: author/creator? Who publishes or maintains? current information? format? bias?
• Web Credibility Project/ Persuasive Technology Lab, Stanford University. "Our goal is to understand what leads people to believe what they find on the Web. We hope this knowledge will enhance Web site design and promote future research on Web credibility". Includes 10 Guidelines for Web Credibility, explaining how can you boost your web site's credibility.
• WWW CyberGuide Ratings for Content Evaluation and for Web Site Design/ Karen McLachlan. Framework for rating sites for instructional purposes.
• Selection criteria used for specific sources. Some of these are less useful than others, but included to show the range of criteria that are used for evaluation.
• Argus Clearinghouse for Subject Information Resource Guides: Information: Ratings System
• Significance / Cyberstacks (sm). These criteria are based on criteria for conventional resources in the ALA's Reference collection development: a manual and ignore factors specific to Internet resources such as workability.
• Evaluating Internet Resources for SOSIG. Very detailed evaluation criteria used for evaluating information resources for the SOSIG social sciences directory. Grouped as Content, Form, and Process criteria.
• Librarians' Index to the Internet: Selection Criteria for Adding Resources to the LII: Based on usefulness to the public library user's information needs: Content, authority, scope, design.
• OPLIN Electronic Resources Selection Policy Statement - defines OPLIN's electronic content in support of Ohio public library service.
• Scout Report Selection Criteria: Detailed criteria used by this widely regarded current awareness service.
• Criteria Used to Select Links for Resources' Catalogues: a collaborative gathering of thoughts and ideas. Poll of WWW Virtual Library maintainers on their selection criteria.
• About Yale University Library Selected Internet Resources. The "Selectors & Selection Criteria" section contains a brief but useful summary of the selection criteria.
• Commentary
• Ciolek, T. Matthew. 1996. The Six Quests for The Electronic Grail: Current Approaches to Information Quality in WWW Resources.
• Rettig, James. Putting the Squeeze on the Information Firehose: The Need for 'Neteditors and 'Netreviewers

Last modified 5 December 2002 by Alastair Smith

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