Library

Web Search Strategies & Evaluation

Tips for formulating searches
Evaluating for quality on the Web

 
 

Search Formulation Tips

Web Search Tutorial: 13 Advanced Searching Tips
 
 

Evaluating Web Sites

Evaluating for Quality on the Web - It pays to keep in mind that almost anyone can, and probably will, publish a web page. Be discriminate when considering including a web page as a source for a research paper. Evaluate each page by taking the following into consideration: 

1.  Author Credibility and Affiliation
 

Who is the author of this page? What is his or her stake in publishing this information? Is this person reputable?  Is he or she qualified in this respective subject area?  Is the author affiliated with a major organization or educational institution?


2.  Currency/Accuracy of Content 
 

Is the site updated regularly? Are last revised dates published on the page?  Does the author have the last word or is the site peer reviewed (reviewed by other members of an institution or scholarly community)?  

3.  Objectivity of Material


  Does the author attempt to represent a particular view? Is the site clearly biased, or are there attempts to include other viewpoints / positions?
 

4.  Coverage of Material 
 

Would it be more appropriate to use established print materials (books, reference sets and journal articles) instead of this web page? Is the material comprehensive or does it contain limited amounts of material?