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Web
sites usually don't undergo the same editing or reviewing processes as
books and journals because Web publishers don't have to obtain an editor's
approval.
Use the following
criteria to determine if the Web site you have located can be rated AAA:
Authority,
Accuracy,
Audience
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Criterion
One: Credentials |
- Authors
can be one person, several people, or a sponsoring agency
- Authors
are qualified if their credentials (educational level or occupational
experience) match the subject of the site.
NOTE:
A student who doesn't yet have a degree or work experience in the
subject area isn't a credible author.
Find out about the author by:
- Checking the
"About Us" link or similiar information
on the site
- Locating articles
in library databases that he or she has written on the same subject
- Verifying that
he or she teaches in a subject area related to the Web page you are
evaluating
- Determining
that the sponsoring organization is run by professionals in the same
subject area
How
to Locate Author and Sponsor Information on a Web Page:
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The
header and footer typically include:
- name of the sponsoring
institution or agency/group
- link to a page describing
the sponsor's contact information, mission, founders, and current
staff and contributors (i.e., About Us)
- name(s) of author(s)
- date of creation/revision
- e-mail address
- snail mail address
- telephone number
- link to the author’s
credentials (i.e., About the Author or About Us)
- link to the sponsoring
institution or group
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Criterion
Two: Impact of Domain on Content |
A
domain designates a type of Web site.
- .com = commercial
- .edu = educational
institution
- .gov = governmental
agency
- .mil = branch
of the military
- .net = network
(i.e., a private Internet service provider such as heartland.net)
- .org = nonprofit
organization
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A
domain is part of a Web address or domain name.
- amazon.com = online
store
- cancer.org = American
Cancer Society
- census.gov = U.S.
Census Bureau
- maryville.heartland.net
= Internet service provider located in Maryville
- navy.mil = United
States Navy
- nwmissouri.edu
= Northwest Missouri State University
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The domain impacts the content of the site.
- Commercial &
network domains often promote businesses and/or products.
- Educational domains
usually support knowledge and learning.
- Organizational
domains sometimes
attempt to convince a reader of a point of view
- Governmental domains
commonly include statistical, public information, tourism, or historical
data.
- Military sites
may include historical data and information about the armed forces.
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Criterion
Three: Contact Information |
- A mailing address
or phone number can be used to contact the author or sponsor
- Contact information
is typically available on the homepage of the site or the "About"
or "Contact" page
| Examples |
Positive Example: Creatine
Supplementation in Athletes: Review
- It is always
best if an author provides a direct link to his/her credentials.
However, if none is evident, try this method of "URL Splicing":
Click in the Address: entry box and "back up the URL"
one level from http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/creatine.html
to http://www.rice.edu/~jenky/sports/
- This page
states that SportsMedWeb "is a non-profit, educational site
designed for endurance athletes." At this page, click the
Medical Tent button, then click the Who link to
display a page that includes a link to the professional credentials
for Dr. Mark Jenkins.
- This site
has an educational domain, which indicates that the information
supports knowledge and learning.
- The site
is sponsored by Rice University. A postal address and phone number
are provided on the university's main page located at http://riceinfo.rice.edu.
Negative
Authority Example: Absorb-Creatine.Com
- No personal
author information is available.
- This is
a commercial site offering Creatine for sale. Information may
be biased to promote the use of Creatine.
- The "General
Information" link in the footer provides address and
contact information for the sponsor.
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Criterion
One: Unfair Bias |
Determine
if the information provides only one viewpoint. That information may be
unfairly biased if:
- An opinion, cause,
or social agenda is advocated without providing documented facts.
- Advertisements
are not distinctly separated from the content.
- The sponsor sells
a product related to the content.
| Sponsoring
Organizations |
Information
sponsored by groups or commercial businesses is sometimes biased,
lacking objectivity. For example:
- Organizations with a political
position sometimes have Web pages supporting their viewpoints.
EXAMPLE: Bush's
Flawed Energy Plan. The mission of this organization is described
on the Inside
Sierra Club page.
- Businesses often add information
to their Web pages that encourage readers to buy a product or
service they sell. EXAMPLE: How
To Buy Strength Building Equipment.
- If a sponsoring organization
is recognized as an authority in a field or business, that recognition
lends credibility to the information they publish on the Web.
EXAMPLE: CNN.com.
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Criterion
Two: Verified Content |
Content
can be verified as follows:
- Look for a works
cited, bibliography, or references list
A Works Cited or References List (often
called a bibliography) is a list of sources, just like you would see
in a research paper for a class. Entries in a Works Cited list refer to specific points of web page content. Links to "related" or "recommended"
web pages do not qualify as a substitute for establishing accuracy with a Works Cited list.
- Locate other objective,
credible sources with similar information:
Use databases
available on Search
for Articles to find magazine, newspaper, or journal articles. Use Academic
Search for general topics.
Example:
YAHOO! SEARCH to Academic Search ASAP to
LexisNexis Academic |
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The
image below shows a search created in "YAHOO! SEARCH"
to find information about preventing recurrences of breast cancer:
One of
the search results displayed is a Web page entitled Breast
Cancer Prevention,
a resource from the National Cancer Institute. This page details
specific treatments which decrease the chances of breast cancer
recurrences.
The information
on the page can be verified by searching for articles about
preventing breast cancer recurrences in the Academic OneFile
periodical database as shown below:
The search entered in Academic OneFile
database is identical to the one used in "YAHOO! SEARCH." One
of the search results displayed is an article entitled "A
New Drug Regimen Packs Powerful One-Two Punch." This article
discusses two of the breast cancer prevention treatments mentioned
on Web page at the National Cancer Institute site.
Another article discusses a treatment for breast
cancer prevention that might verify information found the Web
page:
This final article
discusses some of the same drug treatment options described
on the Web page entitled Breast
Cancer Prevention and therefore
verifies the information on the Web page. |
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Criterion
Three: Appropriate Date |
The
page created/last updated statement should indicate that content is current
and appropriately up-to-date:
- Medical or computer
software information that is several years old may be suspect.
- Information about
classical Greek theater that is five years old may be very accurate.
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Examples |
Positive
Accuracy Example: The
Impact of Presumed Consent Legislation on Cadaveric Organ Donation
- The information
on this page is not biased. It is documented by facts and endnotes.
- No advertisements
appear on the page and the sponsor is not attempting to sell a
product.
- The author
has no apparent agenda and is not attempting to convince the reader
of a point of view.
- The date
of the paper is fairly current, June 2004.
Negative
Accuracy Example: Death
Penalty Facts
- Bias is
evident for several reasons:
- The
sponsor clearly states it is dedicated to the abolition of
the death penalty and there is no attempt to separate the
objectives of the sponsoring organization from the content.
- All
of the "facts" provided support the sponsor's mission.
- Many
of the arguments present emotional appeals, rather than intellectual
appeals aimed at an objective assessment of the issues.
- Sources
of information are mentioned but no references are provided.
- Many of
the facts presented may not be the most current information available.
For instance, the Thorsten Sellin studies mentioned were conducted
in 1962, 1967, and 1980 respectively.
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Criterion
One: Relevancy |
Locating
information that mentions a topic doesn't guarantee that the information
is relevant or supportive of the specific research purpose.
Examples |
Positive
Purpose Example: Tips
for Travelers to Mexico
- This Department
of State "Tips for Travelers to Mexico" provides extensive
information about how to travel safely in the country of Mexico,
including shopping information, what you bring into the country,
and how to obtain medical assistance.
Negative
Purpose Example: Avant
Rent a Car: Travel Tips
- This is
an advertisement for a rental car company entitled "Travel
Tips" which also includes a mention of Cancun and some other
tourist destinations in Mexico. This page is chiefly concerned
with promoting the use of Avant Rent a Car in Mexico with only
token attention given to 'travel tips' in the comprehensive way
that the Department of State site does.
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Criterion Two: Type of Web Page |
Determining
the type of Web page helps define what audience is targeted:
- Informational/Educational:
An informational/educational Web page provides unbiased, up-to-date
news, data or statistics that encourages the reader to learn and think
critically about the information and draw conclusions.
Example: World Health News
- Political:
Political Web pages may include information, but the information is
used to convince readers of the validity of a claim or point of view.
Nonprofit organization or .org sites often have a political or social
agenda.
Example: MADD:
Mothers Against Drunk Drivers
- Recreational:
This type of Web site entertains the user.
Example (Use
CTRL/MouseClick to open this window): Dancing with the Stars
- Commercial:
Commercial Web sites exist for the purpose of selling users products
or services.
Example: E-Bay
Blended Examples |
An
organizational site may support a point of view and also to educate
the public about matters related to a particular issue.
Example: AARP.org
A
commercial Web site may also provide unbiased information or
news.
Example: drkoop.com
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Criterion Three: Audience Characteristics |
Audience
characteristics include age, gender, and interests. Answers to either
of the following questions help define audience:
- What is the common
interest of those who use this Web site?
- Does this Web
site appeal to a specific age or gender group?
Examples |
QVC
This is a commercial site for those interested in online shopping
for a variety of products. No specific age group or gender is targeted.
ParkNet
This is an informational/educational site that provides facts about
the National Park Service and properties owned by the government.
Users are interested in history, outdoor recreation, or the United
States' "natural or cultural heritage."
The
Benefits of Curfews
This informational/educational site provides "education, training
and support" for foster parents.
Lifetimetv.com:
Where Women Click
This site includes aspects of both the recreational and informational/educational
types. It targets a specific gender--women.
Universal
Design/Home Modification: A Home for All Ages
This is an informational/educational site sponsored by the American
Association for Retired Persons (AARP). Even though this site is
sponsored by an organization that targets an older audience, the
Universal Design principles it describes could also appeal to a
younger audience with special needs or children.
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