Web Review Assmt.

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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