As anyone can add or change content in Wikipedia without being experts on a subject, information in it is unreliable and unstable. Many entries have errors and are biased.
This makes the information in Wikipedia unsuitable for an academic assignment, but you may find the bibliographical references and website addresses at the end of the entries very useful for your research.
Evaluating Websites:
Think about the Sponsor of the site:
· check the URL
· what is the domain?
· is the sponsor of the site appropriate for your research?
· will there be a bias?
· org - information about the organization, most likely to have a bias
· com - about a product
· gov - government sponsored
· is the site hosted by an agency, institution or company?
Consider the site's authors and their authority on the subject:
· examine the home page of the website to find information about the author/s
· is there sufficient information about the organization or individual?
· look for links that say "About us," "Background," "Biography," "Staff," etc.
· can the webmaster be contacted?
· are the author's credentials and affiliation provided? Can you find information elsewhere?
Consider the purpose of the site---Why was it created?
· is the purpose of the site clear? Is the purpose appropriate for your research?
· is the site to inform? Entertain? Educate? Share information? Influence views? Advertise or sell a product? Communicate?
Express an opinion?
· the purpose will influence the content and help you to determine the bias
Consider the coverage of the subject area:
· is the material useful, unique or accurate? Derivative, repetitious or doubtful?
· the coverage should reflect the intended audience
· is the site comprehensive?
· what information is included? Is the information factual or opinion? Is the information documented?
· does the site include original information or simply links to other sites?
· how useful are these other sites?
· does the site focus on a narrow area or does it include related topics?
· what is the level of detail provided about the subject?
· what kind of information is provided? Factual? Opinions? Statistics? Reports?
· where does the information come from? Can this be easily determined? Are the sources documented?
· is the information consistent with information found in other sources?
Consider the permanency of the site:
· evaluate the timeliness of the site
· are dates provided?
· are the links still active?
· when was the site last updated?
· check Wayback Machine for revisions (http://www.archive.org/index.php)
Consider the format of the site:
· is the site well organized and easy to use?
· are there clear headings and textual references?
· are the pages clearly identified and easy to locate?
· is there appropriate use of graphics? Do they enhance the resource or distract from the content?
· how many links does it take to get to something useful? Is the site easy to navigate? Can you find your way back?
· are there help screens?
· is there a search function?
· are there advertisements? Who is the intended market for the products?
