JOUR202 - News Editing

When judging the Authority of a web resource/website, look at the following:

• Author
• Who is providing the information?
• What are their qualifications?
• Affiliation
• URL Hints (.gov, .org, .net, .edu, .com)
• Links - where does the site lead you?
• Contact information
  
  
• Helpful Hint: If you truly are not sure who is sponsoring a particular site, try a WHOIS search - to determine who owns a website/domain name.

When judging the Accuracy of a web resource/website, look at the following:

• Is it sloppy or full of errors?
• Are sources given?
• Has the site been evaluated?
• How did you find this site?
• Broad search engine?
• Selective directory?
• Link from a reputable source?

When assessing the Purpose and Content of a web resource/web site, consider the following:

• Stated or implicit purpose
• Advocacy
• Commercial use
• Hoax/Counterfeit
• Informative
• Humor/Spoof
• Personal page
• Propaganda
• Hacked information
• Coverage
• What topics are included
• Are the topics explored in depth
• Evidence of bias
• Is there a minimum of bias?
• To what extent is information contained on the site trying to sway

Depending upon the purpose of the website (see above), Currency may need to be taken into account. Considerations include:

• Update frequency - is this historical data (a copy of an old map), or does it need to be current (e.g. stock information)?
• Currency of links - are links from the page/site current, or are they out-of-date?

The last criteria helps you determine the usability of a page. Considerations for Design, Organization and Ease of Use include:

• Does the layout serve the user?
• Is it logical? Well organized?
• Are there "help" features?
• Is the design logical and easy to follow?
• How far do you have to scroll to find needed information?
• Are buttons and boxes large enough?