Six criteria for website evaluation

AUTHORITY
Authority reveals that the person, institution or agency responsible for a site has the
qualifications and knowledge to do so. Evaluating a web site for authority:

Authorship: It should be clear who developed the site.

Contact information should be clearly provided: e-mail address, snail mail address, phone
number, and fax number.
Credentials: the author should state qualifications, credentials, or personal background
that gives them authority to present information.
Check to see if the site supported by an organization or a commercial body

PURPOSE
The purpose of the information presented in the site should be clear. Some sites are meant to
inform, persuade, state an opinion, entertain, or parody something or someone. Evaluating a web
site for purpose:

Does the content support the purpose of the site?

Is the information geared to a specific audience (students, scholars, general reader)?
Is the site organized and focused?
Are the outside links appropriate for the site?
Does the site evaluate the links?
Check the domain of the site. The URL may indicate its purpose.

COVERAGE
It is difficult to assess the extent of coverage since depth in a site, through the use of links, can be
infinite. One author may claim comprehensive coverage of a topic while another may cover just
one aspect of a topic. Evaluating a web site for coverage:

Does the site claim to be selective or comprehensive?

Are the topics explored in depth?
Compare the value of the sites information compared to other similar sites.
Do the links go to outside sites rather than its own?
Does the site provide information with no relevant outside links?

CURRENCY
Currency of the site refers to: 1) how current the information presented is, and 2) how often the
site is updated or maintained. It is important to know when a site was created, when it was last
updated, and if all of the links are current. Evaluating a web site for currency involves finding
the date information was:

first written
placed on the web
last revised

Then ask if:

Links are up-to-date

Links provided should be reliable. Dead links or references to sites that have moved are
not useful.
Information provided so trend related that its usefulness is limited to a certain time
period?
The site been under construction for some time?

OBJECTIVITY
Objectivity of the site should be clear. Beware of sites that contain bias or do not admit its bias
freely. Objective sites present information with a minimum of bias. Evaluating a web site for
objectivity:

Is the information presented with a particular bias?

Does the information try to sway the audience?
Does site advertising conflict with the content?
Is the site trying to explain, inform, persuade, or sell something?

ACCURACY
There are few standards to verify the accuracy of information on the web. It is the responsibility
of the reader to assess the information presented. Evaluating a web site for accuracy:

Reliability: Is the author affiliated with a known, respectable institution?

References: do statistics and other factual information receive proper references as to
their origin?
Does the reading you have already done on the subject make the information seem
accurate?
Is the information comparable to other sites on the same topic?
Does the text follow basic rules of grammar, spelling and composition?
Is a bibliography or reference list included?

Hyperlink to the website, standing start techniques in sprinting:

http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/standing-start-techniques-sprinting-19456.html

Criteria
Authority

Purpose

Explanation of criteria
Rating
The article has an author whose name is Excellen

Comments
The Author ensured that he stated his

Steven Kelliher. The author also provided t

name, his credentials and contact

contact information for further reference

information so that he could be contacted

if needs be. The author also provided

if needs be. The author ensured that the

information about his qualification and

organization and structuring of paragraphs

the site to which the information is

were simple and understandable for

provided

anyone to read it.

is

also

supported

by

an

organization and commercial body.

The purpose of the article is to edify the Excellen

The main objective of reaching the general

general public about the standing start t

public was achieved by the author. He also

technique- the author made every effort in

ensured that the information contain

doing so. The information is presented in

simple grammar so as to make it

a logical and purposeful manner. Links

understandable by the general public to

that are presented in the article are very

which the article is directed. The links

appropriate and does match the contents

provided lead to other sites that gave

of the article.

added information on the topic making the

purpose of the article more highlighted.

Coverage

The coverage span of the article is quite Good

Hence, the high rating

Though the coverage of the article was in-

good. The information presented about

depth I wanted to see information on

standing start technique was explored

teaching progression and more information

thoroughly by the author with regards to

presented about the coaching points when

other references he made which went

executing the standing start. This would

outside of the site to which the document

allow me to know how to transition from

was written. Comparing the information

one stage to another as well as ensuring

that this site provided with other seems

that the proper techniques are followed

useless as this site went more in-depth at

and

analysis and explanation than the others.

information presented is quite beneficial

maintained.

Nevertheless,

the

bit lacking in some aspect resulting in a

Currency

The azcentra-the Arizona public, is the Good

good rating.
Though no date was given for the article;

sponsored company of the article which

the information presented was quite up to

has been in operation before the year

date. It matches the same information that

2007 and is still in operation to date; to

other links of current (2015) publication

which it is still being updated daily.

contains hence the article was given a

Though no date was given for the article,

good rating.

the information is quite current and is up

to date. The links provided are still
working and also provides beneficial
Objectivit
y

information on the given topic.

The information presented by the author Excellen

The information presented was very much

was quite objective in all manner. The t

informative and objective which maintains

information does not stray the reader in

the integrity of the article. This premise of

no way possible due to its objective

unbiasedness in presenting the information

content. The advertising site do not

by neglecting his own personal thoughts

conflict

with

the

content

of

the

were omitted. This gave the article

information presented and are doing the

authority and credibility hence the

exact opposite of that. The site is simply

excellent rating given.

explaining how the standing start is done

in sprinting as well as listing the benefits
of doing such starts versus conventional
means.
Accuracy

The author is affiliated with the Arizona Excellen

The presentation of his name and contact

institution and is well adept in the area of t

information made it clear of who he was

sports and athletics as he also publishes

and what he is capable of doing. The

several other articles about sports and

manner in which the information was

athletics in general. The information read

presented also boost the accuracy of the

within

prior

information making it of good use to

knowledge of mine about standing start

future reader. Adding to the above mention

which speaks to its reliability. The article

proper citation and relevant referencing

also followed basic rules of grammar and

was to for further reading. This is the

sentence structuring making it easy for

reason the article was given an excellent

the reader to understand. The information

rating.

the

article

relates

to

that is resented within this article is also

comparable with other sites as the same
information

is

being

reiterated.

reference list is also presented at the end

of the article cementing the authority and

accuracy of the document.

Instructional value of the website

A website is a collection of web pages (documents that are accessed through the Internet).
Generally, people look at websites for two primary reasons:
1. To find information they need. This could be anything from a student looking for pictures
of butterflies for a school project, to finding the latest brainy quotes, to getting the
address of the nearest Chinese restaurant.
2. To complete a task. Visitors may want to buy the latest best-seller, download a software
program, or participate in an online discussion about a favorite hobby.
Whatever the case may be, getting information at the end of the day is the fueling engine behind
wanting to visit a website in the first place. However, the daunting thing about getting
information on websites is that not everything that is posted on the internet is of good use and is
valuable.
Therefore, getting information that is of instructional value to the reader takes on an
evaluation process. As such, instructional value of the website that was evaluated was quite
good. It contains information on all the facets of a good website. The website could be used to
teach students about the standing start in track and field because it contain well and in-depth
information of the coaching points necessary for executing the skill. The author also made sure
of good organization and presentation of information to the reader; which was done in a logical
and orderly fashion that made the article very easy to read and articulate in addition to being able
to reiterate the information presented to students. With that said any student, teachers or other

individual who want to seek and regurgitate information about standing start will have little to no
fault in utilizing this website.
For accurate, credible and reliable information to be retrieved from the website one must
pay key attention to several factors or criteria which are as follows: Authority, credibility,
currency, purpose, objectivity and accuracy. If the website is lacking in any aspect it could affect
the whole of the documentation or body of the article- happy to say the website that was
evaluated was not lacking in any possible way. Seguin (1999) puts it this way As teachers, we
must be able to evaluate the quality of the websites we will be bringing into our classrooms. We
must learn the skills to be critical of the content of the websites we find on the Internet. The
website evaluated had every bit of the criteria spoken by the author Seguin. Making it very
effective and a leading article to use to teach the skill of standing start to students or athletes.
This website goes contrary to the many websites found on the Internet that is of low educational
value and should therefore not be used in a classroom setting.
Therefore in reiteration the instructional value of the website is quite accurate,
authoritative, purposeful, credible, and current. Which was all seen upon evaluation of the entire
article. Hence, making the instructional value to others an excellent source of information which
can be shared and re-shared again due to it being very qualify to do so.

Reference
Sguin, D (1999). Website evaluation. Retrieved November 20, 2015. From:
http://pages.videotron.com/seguind/evaluation.htm