EVALUATING WEB PAGES

World Wide Web resources, especially those on government web sites, can be very useful and authoritative. They must be evaluated by the user, in much the same way as other resources are evaluated: on their authority and their content. Listed below in the Hot Links are just some of the many resources available to help evaluate web resources. While none is specific to government web sites, they all contain good some help for navigating the web and evaluating its resources.

• Hot links
• Selected criteria for evaluating government web sites
• Evaluating search engines, directories, web pages for finding government information

• Search Engine Evaluation and Tutorial
• Searching the Web training information

• Thinking Critically About World Wide Web Resources
• Evaluating Web Resources
• How to Critically Analyze Information Sources
• Evaluating Sources of Information

Whose web site is it?

• Is the URL a government URL? E.g., .gov/ , or, .ca/
• How do you know it is an official web site? Does the agency have its official seal? Is the address a government address? The director's picture and message?
• Who prepared the site? Is information on how to contact them or someone else provided?

• Full-text of publications?
• Hypertext links or help on where to find more information?
• Just information about the agency but no substantive detailed information?
• Does the site provide links to other resources? What are they and how good are the? Other government agencies?
• Is the information relevant to search?
• Is there a suggested citation format provided?
• Is the information timely? Does it include older information?

• Does the first page you encounter provide a good "map" of what is available?
• How many links or mouse clicks does it take to find your information?
• Is the information clearly displayed?
• Is there a large amount of information or just a little?
• Is there an internal search engine? Is it needed? Helpful? OR, is there a "Search" button? OR, a "map" of the site?
• Does retrieving the information require special software or plug-ins? Adobe Acrobat? Java?
• Does the information display quickly or is there a long wait? If it is slow, is everything else slow so you know whether it is the internet lines, your computer or the lack of adequate ports?
• Is the information free? Require a subscription?
• Can the information be downloaded? Emailed? FTP'd? Printed?
• Does it use frames?
• Good help on searching?
• If search results (especially in bibliographiuc databases) are displayed, in what order? Date? Relevance?
• Has the URL changed? If so, is there a link to the new one?

• General public
• Specialized audience such as scientists, businesses, agency staff?
• Is the level for school children?
• Can searchers from foreign countries have access?
• Librarians?

Is the search tool designed specifically for locating government information? Or, does it have a feature that limits to government information sources?

Did your search help identify governmental sources of information?

How were the search results listed? Relevancy? Date? Did you go right to the information needed?