With millions of Web sites available for students and staff to use (and more every day), How do you know if a site is valid and useful resource? Internet users need skills in evaluating Internet resources

Criteria for Evaluation
There are several excellent resources available on the Internet regarding evaluating WWW sites. Visit Comparing and Evaluating Web Information Sources for a good overview of evaluation tools. The ultimate test of a useful Web site is the individual user. Look at the following criteria for your guide to evaluating web sites.

Goal of Site
Is the goal stated? Is the mission served? Does the site possess literary, artistic, or social value? Does the goal match your needs?

Appropriateness of Site--(Depends on level of user)
Is the site focused at an appropriate reading level? Is the site free of inappropriate language or graphics? Is any bias/opinion easy for students to identify and discuss? Does the site foster respect for all people including women, minorites, ethnic groups, disabled, and aged? Does the site reflect a culturally diverse, pluralistic society? Does the site reflect global awareness?

Accuracy
Is the information credible? Is the information fact or opinion? Is supporting material provided? Are associated links provided? Do links work? Is a web master listed? Is the site well-maintained and frequently updated? Are comments requested? Does the resource have a reputable organization or expert behind it? You may want to check the accuracy of a web site against other resources.

Scope and Sequence of Content
Is the content well-organized? Is the breathe of coverage appropriate? Is information presented in a logical order?

Depth of Content
Is the site thorough? Are links provided for expansion? Are they good? Is the site complete? Does the site provide "real-world" applications?

Multiple Channels
Are sound options provided at music/speech sites? Are videos provided if relevant? Are graphics used to support ideas? Are animations used in relevant ways?

Screen Design
Are elements such as navigation tools consistent? Are functional areas provided? Do background and animations contribute rather than distract? Are the font styles and sizes easy to read? Are graphics large enough to see? Are graphics small enough to load fast?

Aesthetics
Is the site easy to use? Does the site have visual appeal? Are the graphics worth the wait? Does the site appeal to the imagination, senses, and intellect? Is the site interesting, stimulating, and engaging? Is the site thought provoking?

Technical Aspects
Does the site run without error? Are directions provided for downloads? Does loading take a reasonable amount of time? Do most browsers work with the site? Is a text-only option provided?

Navigation
Is it easy to move between pages? Could you easily return to previous parts of the site? Is an easy-to-use table of contents or index provided? Were links clearly described? Were page lengths kept short to limit options and confusion? Is a useful search engine provided?

Accessibility
Is the site available and easily loaded? Is the site restricted through password or subscriptions?

Conclusion
When you finish looking at all of the data you have collected above while evaluating the site, you should be able to explain why or why not this site is (or is not) valid for your purpose.

Thanks to Annette Lamb for many of the ideas expressed on this page.