Evaluation of Website Content - Essay Example

Evaluation of Website Content Order ID – 1113240 Introduction Any research of high standard should use authentic sources for reference because they add value to it. In order to procure sources that are accurate, an in-depth search is very crucial. The internet and other sources such as books, newspapers and magazines are flooded with so much information, some of which is authentic and accurate, while others are inaccurate and of poor quality. Such a scenario makes it imperative to hand pick quality sources after a thorough evaluation, so the research outcome is accurate and of a high standard.

In this essay, an attempt is being made to evaluate a specific website for its authenticity and genuinity, using five criteria as a basic guideline. The website to be evaluated is – http://www.dhmo.org The following are the five basic guidelines I would be using to evaluate the above website. 1. Accuracy According to Jonassen, D., Kim, B., (2010) “Meaningful learning requires deep engagement with ideas” and it is vital that one makes an assessment of the authenticity and quality of the material before doing so.

The above website portrays itself as the research division of Dihydrogen Monoxide. Tom Way has the copyright of this site and an URL for the site is given. However, there is no e mail addressor phone number given to contact anyone personally but it does have a feedback page to leave any comments you like to share. It is also specified that due to the great volume of e. mail received, you may or may not get a reply to your queries and comments. Authority The site does not specify an author’s name but it states the copyrights are with Tom Way.

The institution said to have published this document is the ‘Environmental Assessment Center, United States. It also specifies that the Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division is situated in Newark, Delaware. The main aim of this site is to provide a platform for discussion by providing unbiased data. Though the URL of the site is given, the publisher does not disclose his qualifications. Objectivity The chief goals of this site are to provide unbiased data on the subject of Dihydrogen Monoxide and also serve as a forum for discussions.

The information given seems to be fairly detailed but one cannot guess how much of it is true. Moreover, the page seems to be a mask for advertising and therefore, the information cannot be said to be authentic or accurate. The name of the author has not been specified and it seems as though information and data has been gathered from various places. The site has an online store selling T. shirts and other things and the general public are asked to visit and lend their support by purchasing them.

Currency The site gives the last updated date, but this does not seem to be valid because it looks to be automatically updated everyday and proves to be inauthentic. Moreover, it clearly states – “content veracity not implied” which clearly proves that the site is invalid as also its information. In addition, the site does not have a home page and an ‘about us’ page to give us information about the people running the site. Coverage The site has a balance of text and images. The images however are used for advertising books, bottles, T.

shirts and games and do not support the theme or material of the site. The site does not ask to use other software and is free, but the information on their pages are not cited either. Hence, looking at this site from different angles, I understand that it is not an authentic source and should not be utilized for serious research work. References Jonassen, D., Kim, B., (2010). Arguing to learn and learning to argue: design justifications and guidelines. Educational Technology Research & Development, 58 (4).

439 - 458. Kapoun, Jim. "Teaching undergrads WEB evaluation: A guide for library instruction." C&RL News (July/August 1998): 522-523. www.olinuris.library.cornell.edu/ref/research/webcrit.html