The Ohio State University has developed a short quiz to test your ability to evaluate websites.

The quiz contains five multiple choice questions. Each question involves the evaluation of a single Web site, and then asks you to determine the site's primary purpose.

Give it a try ! Start the quiz by clicking on the link below.

The Ohio State University - Site Evaluation Quiz

Authority

• Who created this site?
• Do they provide information on their background, experience, and credentials?
• Is the site maintained by a well-known or reputable organization (e.g. the American Psychological Association, American Cancer Society, etc.)?

Objectivity and Reliability

• Are the facts that are known to you reliable?
• Is the coverage objective? If not, is the bias clearly stated?
• Is the site sponsored by a commercial organization? Is it trying to sell you something?

Scope

• Who is the intended audience? Is this site for scholarly purposes or just for fun?
• Are both sides of an issue or topic provided?
• What geographical area is covered?
• What time period is covered?
• Is this the original document or has it been edited or abridged in some way?

Currency

• Does the site give a date when it was last updated?
• If so, has it been updated recently?
• Is some of the information clearly out of date?
• Are there many links that are broken and no longer connect to the resources listed? Broken links can be an indicator that a site is not being updated regularly.

Duke University put together a great page on evaluating web resources including some great tips and ideas: http://library.duke.edu/services/instruction/libraryguide/evalwebpages.html