This document provides guidance on evaluating websites for research purposes. It discusses elements that indicate a website is a quality resource, such as the authority and qualifications of the author, the purpose and maintenance of the site, and whether the content is factual and objective. Good elements include .edu and .gov URLs, clear authorship by experts, and frequent updates. The document encourages students to consider these criteria when selecting a website for a class assignment and posting their finding in a discussion board. It aims to help students distinguish high-quality sources online.

1. SEARCHING THE WEB
And making it count…
http://library.grandview.edu
Cara Stone, Grand View Library cstone@grandview.edu

2. The Internet isn’t Perfect
 Why I love the
Internet:
 Easy
 Always changing
 Tons of information at
my fingertips
 Facebook My favorite part is right around 2:15…
“Little Happy Birthday? Big Happy
Birthday!”
 Silly YouTube Videos http://youtu.be/Msi5KTf3tM0
(am I right?!)

3. The Internet Isn’t Perfect
 Why I’m skeptical of the internet:
 Anyone can put anything up and call
themselves an “authority” in the subject
 Always changing
 Too much information at my fingertips?
 Time suck… (It’s already WHAT
time?!...Ugh.)

4. Example 1: Wikipedia
 Why I love it:
 Quick and easy general
information
 Fairly current (celebrity
relationships, Beyonce’s
pregnancy, natural disasters)
 Why I wouldn’t use it to write a
paper:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton,_Iowa

5. Example 2: Dangers of Dihydrogen Monoxide
 http://www.dhmo.org/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/snapr/484776493/

6. Let’s Search!
Find a website about your topic that you think is of quality—on that website find a
fascinating fact.Use the Blackboard Discussion for today – Quality Websites in
Research
Part I: Quality or not quality, that is the question
 Submit the URL (website) and why you think it is of quality
 Be prepared to explain to the class why you think it is a good resource
 What elements can you point out to us?
Part II: Fascinating or not fascinating, that is (also) the question
 What is your interesting fact?
 What makes it so interesting?
 How is it different than the other facts already posted by your peers?
After you have posted your own fascinating fact, read through and find at least two
more facts from your classmates' posts and respond to the ones you feel are most
interesting. Be sure to respond in a full sentence or two--don't just say "cool fact."

7. Elements of a Good Web Resource
 Authority:
 Who wrote it?
 What are their qualifications?
 Is it some random enthusiast typing away in his basement?
 URL:
 What clues does the URL provide?
 Is it a .gov?, .edu?, .com?, .us?
 Purpose:
 Personal? Company or organization? Forum for
educational information? Scholarly forum?
Entertainment? Advertisement or profit?

8. Elements of a Good Web Resource
 Content:
 Biased opinion
 Objective
 Factual
 Are arguments well supported or researched? Contain
objective and subjective information
 Contact:
 Email or write the webmaster or author?

9. Elements of a Good Web Resource
 Currency
 Is it up-to-date (does it need to be up-to-date)?
(Historical information vs. news or current events)
 Last revised/modified date?
 Well-maintained? (Broken links? Error messages?)
 Design
 Easy to navigate/use?
 Search/site map?
 Easy to read?
 In the end, it’s your judgment call…

10. Questions?
 A helpful checklist is in your Blackboard page
under Library Resources
 http://www.lib.umd.edu/guides/webcheck.html
 Cara Stone: cstone@grandview.edu; 515.263.2878
University of Maryland Libraries. “Checklist for Evaluating Web Sites.” 2011. 16 Aug 2011.