Lastly, please scroll to the end of this document for a few other criteria I've written.
Before the quality of a resource can be judged, it is necessary to locate and gain access to the server that houses the documents(s). Site Access and Usability deals with the first impression the Web site makes on users and such issues as ease of connection and downloading, identification of the site, access restrictions, and other questions that must be dealt with before the information contained within the site can be used.
| 1.1 | What is the name of the site? |
| 1.2 | What individual, group, or organization sponsors and/or maintains the site? |
| 1.3 | What is the URL of the site? |
| 1.4 | Is the site stable, or has the URL changed? |
| 1.5 | Which formats does the site support (VRML, Netscape 2.0, Gopher, etc.)? |
| 1.6 | Have different versions been produced to support a variety of browsers? |
| 1.7 | Is the document source code free of bugs and breaks? |
| 1.8 | Does the page take a long time to download? |
| 1.9 | Are graphics shown in in-line form for quicker downloading? |
| 1.10 | Is it usually possible to reach the site, or is it frequently overloaded or shut down? |
| 1.11 | Are any rules for use of the site or resources within the site stated up front? |
| 1.12 | Is it a commercial site that requires payment for full access? |
| 1.13 | If commercial, is the price specified up-front? |
| 1.14 | Is the user informed when the host site is collecting usage data? |
| 1.15 | Does the site require a log-on? |
| 1.16 | If required, is the use that will be made of log-on information described? |
| 1.17 | If involving confidential information, are interactions secured? |
| 1.18 | Is there a description of the traffic levels at the site? |
In order to begin the process of forming judgments about the quality of the information contained within a resource it is necessary to locate the document within the site and to gather descriptive information about the document. Resource Identification and Documentation deals with such information as the title and URL address of the document as well as descriptions of its content, its purpose, and its intended audiences.
| 2.1 | What is the title of the document? |
| 2.2 | Within what major fields, disciplines, or topics does the document fall? |
| 2.3 | For what audience was the document designed? |
| 2.4 | What is the mission, purpose, or scope of the document? |
| 2.5 | Is there a description of the document's content? |
| 2.6 | Is the user informed of improper or controversial materials (e.g., adult language, sexually explicit material, gratuitous violence, etc.) within the document? |
| 2.7 | When was the document created? |
| 2.8 | When was the document placed on the Internet? |
| 2.9 | Is there a description of the pattern for updates (e.g., weekly, annually, etc.)? |
| 2.10 | When was the document last revised? |
| 2.11 | Is the document stable, or likely to be replaced or removed from the site at any time? |
| 2.12 | If the resource is to be removed, does the site state where it will be available? |
| 2.13 | What is the URL of the document? |
Information about the author's qualifications is critical to the formation of judgments about the quality of information contained in Internet resources. Author Identification deals with descriptive information about the author(s) such as name, position, and training, as well as contact information. Other individuals or organizations who sponsor or are in other ways involved in the production of the document should also be identified.
| 3.1 | What is the author's name? |
| 3.2 | What is the author's professional or institutional affiliation? |
| 3.3 | What is the author's position title or academic rank? |
| 3.4 | What is the author's training or experience with the topic? |
| 3.5 | What is the author's e-mail address? |
| 3.6 | What is the author's phone number? |
| 3.7 | What is the author's mailing address? |
| 3.8 | Did other individuals, groups, or organizations provide assistance in the creative process? |
| 3.9 | Was the development of the document funded or otherwise supported by an individual, group, or organization other than the identified author? |
Judgments about the quality of information within a document are often related to the qualifications of the authors(s) to present information on or opinions about the topic of the document. Authority of Author deals with such topics as the training, personal experience, institutional or organizational affiliations, or publishing record of the author(s) and how these relate to the substance of the document.
| 4.1 | Is the author a recognized authority on the topic of the document? |
| 4.2 | Has the author published related materials dealing with the topic of the document? |
| 4.3 | Is the author's training appropriate and related to the topic of the document? |
| 4.4 | Is the author's experience appropriate and related to the topic of the document? |
| 4.5 | Is the author affiliated with an educational institution, research laboratory, governmental agency, or other reputable organization related to the topic of the document? |
The usability of information is dependent on how it is organized as well as on its inherent quality. Information Structure and Design deals with how the document is structured and indicates whether the document follows accepted instructional design standards, such as stating its purpose, describing its scope, incorporating interactivity, or providing a variety of formats to meet different learning styles.
| 5.1 | Is the scope of the document clearly stated? |
| 5.2 | Are the limits of the document stated? |
| 5.3 | Is the title of the document descriptive of its content? |
| 5.4 | Are headings clear and descriptive or do they use jargon meaningful only to the author? |
| 5.5 | Does the content fit the stated scope, purpose, and audience? |
| 5.6 | Does the use of graphics and icons contribute to the clarity and usability of the information? |
| 5.7 | Is there a text alternative to the images? |
| 5.8 | Does the site offer a variety of features in addition to delivering content (e.g., provides e-mail links for further information, downloads, ordering, discussion lists)? |
| 5.9 | Is the document designed to meet individual audience needs (multiple developmental levels)? |
| 5.10 | Are the visual metaphors employed (icons) appropriate for pre-defined age groups (e.g., icons and visuals for kids, or text links and indexes for adults, etc.)? |
| 5.11 | Is attention paid to the needs of the disabled (e.g., text versions of sound files for the audio impaired, etc.)? |
| 5.12 | Are a variety of media employed to support learning modes (e.g., visual, aural, numerical, verbal)? |
| 5.13 | Is the site English only or can speakers of other languages access the site in their languages? |
| 5.14 | Can the treatment employed be generalized to an appropriate range of situations (e.g., case based, real-world samples in addition to theoretical conjectures, etc.)? |
| 5.15 | Has an appropriate treatment been applied (e.g., game, simulation, tutorial, etc.) to meet the objectives? |
| 5.16 | Is interactivity employed (e.g., can users click or input an answer and receive feedback, have an opportunity to practice what is presented, etc.)? |
| 5.17 | Is the site designed to support group use or is it more individually based? |
| 5.18 | Is content structured to be accessible during a single class period (30 or 40 minutes)? |
| 5.19 | Are use strategies or lesson plans provided to assist teachers in using the document? |
The quality of the information within a document is related to the needs of the user. Relevance and Scope of Content deals with the information in the document and whether it meets the user�s needs in terms of type and depth of the material provided, whether it complements other information available, or leaves gaps, and whether it fits into the broader field of knowledge.
| 6.1 | Is the content related to the user's needs? |
| 6.2 | Is the information sufficiently current to meet the user's needs? |
| 6.3 | Is the coverage of the topic sufficiently broad to meet the user's needs? |
| 6.4 | Does the document provide any new information on the topic? |
| 6.5 | Are there any obvious gaps or omissions in the coverage of the topic? |
| 6.6 | Is the document integrated within a broader context or field of knowledge? |
Validity of Content deals with the confidence one can place in the information in a document, such as identification of the methods used in obtaining the information, whether the author(s) cite their original sources for secondary information, whether the document has been peer reviewed, and whether the author(s) offer verifiable statistics to support their claims.
| 7.1 | Is the methodology used to develop the resource described and appropriate to the content? |
| 7.2 | Has the document been linked to or referenced by a recognized authority? |
| 7.3 | Has the document been subjected to a peer review process? |
| 7.4 | Is the document a primary (original, unfiltered material) or secondary (modified, selected, or rearranged information about primary materials) source? |
| 7.5 | Does the information provided contradict or confirm the information from other sources? |
| 7.6 | Does the author provide a bibliography or cite references to confirm the accuracy of the information? |
| 7.7 | Does the author provide verifiable statistics to support conclusions? |
| 7.8 | Does the author follow a recognized style manual to cite references and quoted materials? |
| 7.9 | Is the site maintained by a university, governmental agency, or other reputable organization? |
Accuracy and Balance of Content deals with the evidence of bias or inaccuracy in a document. Evidence of bias includes such things as obviously misleading statements or outrageous, unsupported claims made by the author(s), sponsorship by individuals or groups with vested interest in the topic, or one-sided arguments about controversial issues. Evidence of inaccuracy includes obvious hasty preparation and inconsistent quality.
| 8.1 | Are there any obvious errors or misleading omissions in the document? |
| 8.2 | Are all sides of controversial issues presented, or is it necessary to seek alternative views? |
| 8.3 | If the document deals with controversial issues, is the bias of the author clearly identified? |
| 8.4 | Is the site sponsored or cosponsored by an individual or group that has an established position regarding the issues discussed in the document? |
| 8.5 | Does the author or the sponsor of the site have a vested or commercial interest in the topic? |
| 8.6 | Are there indications of careless or hasty preparation, such as spelling or grammatical errors? |
| 8.7 | Is the information presented in the document of a consistent quality? |
| 8.8 | Are there indications of gender or racial biases and stereotyping in text or graphics? |
Judgments about the quality of Internet resources are based on the usability and interactivity of the documents as well as on the quality of the information within the documents. Navigation Within the Document deals with how easily documents are explored and is concerned with organizational structures, menu design, indexes, tables of content, search functions, and online "help."
| 9.1 | Is there a good organizational scheme (e.g., by subject, format, audience, chronology, geography, authors, etc.)? |
| 9.2 | Is there provision for topic narrowing via conventions such as menus that follow the organizational scheme? |
| 9.3 | Is there an image map that can be used to navigate within the document? |
| 9.4 | Is there an index that can be used to navigate within the document? |
| 9.5 | Is there a table of contents that can be used to navigate within the document? |
| 9.6 | Is there a built-in search function within the document? |
| 9.7 | Is there a consistent sense of context or understanding of position within the document at any given time? |
| 9.8 | If linking to another page, is there a way to get back to the home page? |
| 9.9 | Is it easy to locate a particular page from any other page? |
| 9.10 | Is the information on individual pages concise, or is lengthy scrolling required? |
| 9.11 | Is there a system of "help" for those requiring it? |
| 9.12 | How helpful is the "help" system? |
One of the distinguishing aspects of hypertext-based Internet resources is the ability to link a document with related materials or resources. This aspect is sufficiently important to be evaluated separately from other organizational characteristics. Quality of the Links deals with how useful links are (are they just lists of lists or are they pointers to more substantive information?) and how clearly they are marked or annotated.
| 10.1 | Are the links clearly visible and understandable? |
| 10.2 | Do essential instructions appear before links and other interactive portions? |
| 10.3 | Are users informed when they are about to link off the site containing the document? |
| 10.4 | Are links annotated? |
| 10.5 | Are users informed of the type of file they are linking to (e.g., video, sound, text, etc.)? |
| 10.6 | Are users informed of the type of information they are linking to (e.g., definitions, elaboration, example, etc.)? |
| 10.7 | Are links provided primarily to resources rather than just lists of resources? |
| 10.8 | Are the links evaluated in any way prior to inclusion? |
| 10.9 | What are the link selection criteria, if any? |
| 10.10 | Are the links relevant and appropriate to the document? |
| 10.11 | What do the links offer that is not easily available in other resources? |
| 10.12 | Are there links to an appropriate range of Internet resources (e.g., links to gophers)? |
| 10.13 | How reliable are the links (are there inactive links or references to sites that have moved)? |
A medium that is capable of presenting information in a variety of formats creates the necessity of making quality judgments that go beyond the limits of text. Aesthetic and Affective Aspects deal with how well the document is designed in terms of graphics, readability, and the use of creative elements. This category specifically deals with the "feel" of the document, such as how much "fun" it is, how "pretty" it is, and other aesthetic and affective dimensions.
| 11.1 | Does the document follow accepted graphic design principles (e.g., balance, unity, proportion, simplicity, etc.)? |
| 11.2 | Does the document follow accepted text design principles (e.g., appropriate use of headers, limited mix of type styles and sizes, etc.)? |
| 11.3 | Are readability and legibility guidelines followed (e.g., sufficient color and tone contrast between text and background, font size, doesn't use all caps, etc.)? |
| 11.4 | Does the document show evidence of originality and creativity in the visual design and layout? |
| 11.5 | Do the creative elements enhance the usability and appeal of the document? |
| 11.6 | Does the use of color add to the visual appeal of the document? |
| 11.7 | Does the use of pictures or graphics add to the visual appeal of the page? |
| 11.8 | Does the interface make use of consistent menu conventions from screen to screen (e.g., terminology, icons, positioning on page, etc.)? |
| 11.9 | Is the design so complex that it detracts from the content? |
| 11.10 | If information is arranged in columns, does the page exceed a single screen? |
| 11.11 | Does the use of time dependent media (e.g., animation, sound, video. etc.) contribute to the affective appeal of the document? |
| 11.12 | Does the document stimulate the user's creativity or thinking? |
| 11.13 | Does the resource attract and maintain the user's attention (e.g., use of humor, active responding, feedback, etc.)? |