Critical Evaluation of a Website - Essay Example

14 October 2007 Critical Evaluation of a Website Today, people spend more and more time using the Internet as an interactive medium which has a profound impact on their tastes and preferences through its appealing messages and images. Websites are becoming more and more interlinked on a world-wide basis. They propose access to information and databases from all over the world. The web site selected for analysis is "SIL", and the web page is "Endangered Languages". The article is written by Ph. D. Michael Cahill.

The author does not include his personal e-mail address but there is reference information about the author and his current position. Also, it is possible to contact WWW@sil.org. There is no any information about updates and creation of this web page. It is possible to say that this document is a current one because the organization indicates a current year on the site. The site provides viewers with a link to the home page. Also, the graphics of this site and information display is appealing to users.

The purpose of the page web is indicated on the home page. Thus, there is a need for up-to-date information and the exact date of all changes. The information discussed in the article is useful for my purposes because it highlights SIL's philosophy and importance of endangered languages for general community. Unfortunately, the web page lacks objectivity because there is no a bibliography of print sources. The web page leads viewers to other Web resources but omits printed materials on this topic.

Taking into account the pros and cons of the web page, it is evident that the key to any successful relationship program is detailed information and its design. Another feature, which is closely connected with this one, is that the better information that visitors have about the author, the more value they will potentially be able to provide. The main weaknesses of the web page are that it does not indicate the last date of changes and a bibliography. The advantage is that only a well-constructed and easy-to-use website can attract more visitors in contrast to sophisticated one where customers spend more time and efforts to find information they are interested in.

The mix of simplicity, vividness and full range of services helps this web sites to attract new visitors. This web page is created by SIL, and the author is SIL International Linguistics Coordinator. Thus, it is impossible to find expert's evaluation and analysis of the information discussed by the author. The domain name, '.org', influences my evaluation and indicates that this web page is created by a reputable organization. I perceive the information as authoritative because the author evaluates organization's vision and values as a member of SIL.

To validate the web site, I review information about the author, his position and the company's mission. In sum, the web page is trustworthy and unbiased published by the reliable organization (SIL). The main weaknesses are that the author does not include a bibliography and the last update. The resulting "subject agenda" is tailored to the specific needs and objectives of the association.Works Cited1. Cahill, M. Endangered Languages. 2007.