Module 2 Practical Work
Going Site-Seeing?
You'll need some Web Evaluation Criteria
It pays to ask yourself about the site's....
SCOPE
The purpose of this site?
Most official sites are able to make this very clear eg The Massachusetts Library Information Network.
Some personal sites get a bit carried away with the power of publication. eg. Brian and Sheila's Vacation
In A1 Termpapers the stated purpose, " available for research only" may not be how the papers are used
Audience aimed at?
Great sites are very clearly focused on their audience. eg. Women of NASA is about encouraging young women,
( and maybe gaining some kudos for NASA).
Kind of information included ?
Good sites use the Internet's immediacy to keep up you up to date eg. The World Clock
Plenty of immediately useful information?
Where the Wild things Are is a favourite of mine, not just for the title but also for the comprehensive listing of great sites, that lead you to destinations not more signposts.
Text or graphic?
Mostly text-based sites load more quickly but the strength of the Internet is also in it's graphics.
The Mapquest site is almost totally graphic but a great concept, personally-designed maps.
SEARCHABILITY
Easy to find your way around?
Wonderful webweavers create sitemaps like this one at WGBH Boston Television
Is the information in manageable chunks?
PBS Television is a wonderful site with information to back up all their amazing televison programmes. It is easy to use because of the "Scroll and Click" feature allowing you to select the webpage you want to connect to.
Similarly it takes no time at all to locate the lost cat ads in the huge LA Times newspaper
The Boston Globe takes forever because you have to load the whole classified section each time.
Interactivity with the users
eg allows online discussion or voting, surveys, opinions, actions etc making a better product than a printed catalogue.
Amazon.Com redefines bookstore catalogue with many ways to join in the action, speak to authors, ask for special profiles to be emailed to you later etc.
AVAILABILITY
Access to this site?
Many sites have extra services for members. Some are completely off limits unless you subscribe,
but the American Society of Landscape Architects and the Mapquest site are still useful in the non-member areas.
RELIABILITY
Check out the authors of the information.
Reputable organisations and established print products like Science Online maintain their reputations with their websites.
Desparate individuals may try to create a reputation on the web. My favourite example is the International Society of Speakers and Authors . This international society has only one member even if he pops up several times on the website.
Another one man hexagonal revolution is being held at Hexnet if you want to join..I am sure you would be made welcome!
Biased information?
A clear bias is a healthy part of the debate in a contentious issue
eg Kaimanawa Wild Horses, is a site for activists supporting the horses in this complex issue.
Who claims responsibility for
the information?
This is pretty important in the case of Whitehouse.net and Whitehouse.gov
The Whitehouse.net is a direct spoof of the official and very real Whitehouse.gov. In case you get confused, there is a Why? link on the spoof version which links to the creators of the site.
The New Zealand Space Agency is another spoof site, more ambitious and easier to pick. The authors are not identifiable but can be emailed.
Are the advertisers also the authors?
CURRENCY
Is the information being updated regularly?
The official White House Page , the Whitehouse.gov page mentioned earlier, is very up to date as would be expected
The Kaimanawa Wild Horses site is not as current an issue but it uses a prominent flashing sign saying Today's news, which is fine as long as today is still August 1st? What do you mean it's not?
Are there links that don't work?
There are numerous examples of this. Even Yahoo suffers occasionally.The term is Linkrot and is part and parcel of a huge site.
OVERALL IMPRESSION
eg. Poor design overall, is the company poorly staffed?
Some sites, though commercially produced are hampered by the first impressions eg. Plymouth Travel Company
In case you miss it, this site says, Please ask about our GHOST TOUR, just after huge heading saying GHOST TOUR
The random scattering of flashing and blinking graphics is distracting in the Dutch Telegraaf Newspaper's site
eg. Interesting, I would want to return to this site
Sister-Friend's Page is a small site but has style, charm and quietly covers some of the essentials in life.
Link back to Jicca's Home Page
Or email me at Naglsmith@juno.com