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Web Sites
There are many worthwhile Criminal
Justice Internet sites that contain quality information. However, be aware
that when using information from the Internet you will need to act as a reviewer
since there are no rules governing what can be published there and information
found on the Internet can be of very poor quality. This is especially true
of a subject, such as Criminal Justice, which can be controversial.
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Six Criteria for Evaluating
Web Pages
Guidelines evaluating a web page
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AUTHORITY
| Is there an author or sponsoring body (organization, company) and is
the name of the author or sponsoring body listed?
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| Are the author(s) qualifications or credentials listed? |
| Is contact information (e-mail, address, or phone number) included?
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| Is the listed name different from the "Webmaster"?
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| Where is the document published? Check the URL domain (.edu, .org,
.com, .gov). |
OBJECTIVITY
| Has the author or organization clearly stated the goals and/or aims
of the site? (The Web often functions as a virtual soapbox).
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| If objectivity is important, is the information presented in an
objective manner?
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| Is a particular point of view being presented?
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| Is there a bias, either explicit or implied?
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| Is the information presented free of advertising? If there is
advertising, is it clearly differentiated from the informational
content?
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| Is this an "Infomercial" Web page? (On the Web, the
distinction between advertising and information can easily become
blurred).
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ACCURACY
| If facts and figures are given, are they accurate?
Are the sources for any factual information clearly listed?
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| Can they be verified in another source?
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| How does this information compare with other sources of information
on this topic? |
CURRENCY
| When was the page produced?
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| When was it last updated?
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| Is any information on the page outdated?
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| Are the links up-to-date? Are there references to sites which have
moved?
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CONTENT/RELEVANCY
| Does the page meet your research needs or purpose?
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| Is the subject adequately covered?
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| Are the links (if any) evaluated/annotated and do they complement
the page's theme?
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| If other sources are quoted, is the information accurately cited?
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| Is all the information on the site free, or is there a fee to link
to some or all of the information? |
AESTHETICS
| Is there an appropriate balance between text and images?
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| Is the design of the page visually appealing or is it too cluttered?
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| Is there an option for text only, or frames, or a suggested browser
for better viewing?
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| If page requires special software to view the information, how much
are you missing if you don't have the software? |
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| GunCite
http://www.guncite.com This is an example of a
problem web page. The web advocates gun rights and
offers many detailed arguments against gun control.
However, the
web is not signed. No where can the user find the name, and
more important, the qualifications and motives of the person, people or organization who
have put the information together.
As there is no author or organization listed, a student
cannot cite this web in their research. |
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Jurist: Gun Laws, Gun
Control and Gun Rights
Here is a different web page which covers the
same controversial topic as the web above. This web site comes to us
from the University of Pittsburg School of Law. The
purpose and where the information
comes from is explained and
the editors take responsibility for the information which has
been loaded onto the web. This information is found on the menu bar to the
left at the bottom, About Jurist and Jurist Editors. This site could be quoted
in a college-level research paper. |
For suggestions on citing electronic
sources:
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How Do I Cite Sources,
This is a web site that links to a number of methods of citation.
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Standard style guides such as those
published by MLA, APA or Turabian have updated editions that contain
recommendations for electronic resources. Ask for these style guides at the
Reference Desk. |
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