Web Review Assmt.

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Web Site Reviews

When you select a site, make sure you have a complete SITE, not just one page from a site; sometimes when I put an item on the course hotlist I do not set the address to the main page.  Evaluate the site according to the following criteria:

  • Determine the purpose of the site - e.g., is it trying to provide background information, promote a particular point of view, etc.?
  • How well does the site identify and communicate its purpose? What specific elements further or distract from the goals of the site?
  • How much actual information does the site contain? How easy is it to evaluate the credibility of the author(s) of the site?
  • How well is the site organized? Are its contents and options for navigation clear? Is it easy to navigate in the site? Do you get confused or left hanging?
  • Are the graphics and other multimedia elements appropriate, incorporated smoothly, and of reasonable size? Did downloading time detract from the presentation?
  • How would you redesign and/or enhance the site if given the opportunity? What would you leave untouched?
  • How well does the site supplement this course? What kinds of information (visual and/or textual) are available here that are not in the textbooks?
 

The review should be 2-3 pages long, between 400 and 500 words (do not count a, an, the, or, and as words). Again, be sure you're evaluating a complete site, not just one or two pages from a site. Specific criteria for A through F writing are available here.  

If more direction regarding evaluation of web sites would be helpful, please see librarian Jim Kapoun's guide:

http://www.ala.org/acrl/undwebev.html
"Teaching undergrads WEB evaluation"; his criteria chart can be very helpful.

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