COS LIBRARY WEB PAGE EVALUATION WORKSHEET - Your Name _________________

List the title, Internet address and the Search Engine used to locate the Web Site on your research topic. Attach a copy of the first page of the web site to this evaluation sheet.

Title____________________________________________________________________

Internet Address________________________________________________________________

Search Engine used to
locate Web Site _________________________________________________________

Evaluate the Web site according to the criteria listed below.  Read all of the questions for each topic before assigning points.

Make sure you are in the right place. (Value/Currency)  0 to 15 points ____

Does this site address the topic you are researching? Was the page worth visiting?  Does it provide you with the information you really need in comparison to other sources i.e., encyclopedias, books, periodicals and newspapers? When was the document mounted on the Web and last updated?

When in doubt, doubt. (Content/Information)                  0 to 15 points ____

Do you have good reason to believe that the information on the site is accurate? Do authors provide any supportive evidence for their conclusions?  Are the conclusions justified by the information presented?  What do the links offer that is not easily available in other sources? Is there a works cited list and if so are they credible?

Consider the source. (Authority/Reliability)                      0 to 15 points ____

Who are the authors of the Web page? What gives them their authority or expertise to write? Is there a way to contact the author(s) via e-mail or traditional mail? Who is responsible for the site? Is this a commercial (.com), governmental (.gov), personal (.com), or academic Web site (.edu)?  Governmental and academic sites often have more reliable information.

Know what's happening. (Treatment/Bias)                      0 to 15 points ____

What is the purpose of the site? Is the main purpose to inform, to persuade, or to sell you something? Do you understand what is being said? What do you think has not been said that should be addressed? Can you distinguish between facts and opinions?

Look at details. (Structure/Navigation)                             0 to 15 points ____

Is the site well organized? Are there misspelled words or examples of poor grammar? Do the links work and are they evaluated or annotated? Do they send you beyond the site to other reliable sources of information? Does the site offer anything unique or does it tell you little more than you could find in an encyclopedia? Are the graphics on the page clear and helpful or distracting and confusing?

                                                                                                            Total Points_______________
A total of 75 points are possible, if your total score is below 45 points should you be using this Web page as a source????????
Modified April 9, 2002 by Connie Fly from original document with permission from author John R. Henderson, Ithaca College Library ©ICYouSee T is for Thinking                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            11/11/04

As of  November 12 , 2002 you are visitor

 This page was last updated: August 31, 2005
For questions and comments, please mail to: connief@cos.edu or jims@cos.edu