We learnt how to evaluate online resources in class today, differentiating the reliability, relevance and usefulness of a source. For this practical, we were taught how to recognize the factors that affects these 3 values in looking for information online
I'll break the factors down to what I feel they represent.
Purpose - What is the aim of this website and is there a message it is trying to put across?
Coverage - What topics or category does this information fall into and is it relevant?
Authority - Is this website reliable in terms of authority, relevance and reference?
Accuracy - Can the information in this website be trusted? Are they accurate and factual (through surveys, polls, statistics, etc.) or just blind assumptions and suggestions?
Currency - Are the information in this website updated regularly? Are they relevant to the latest issues?
Accessibility - How easy is it to access this website? Is it open to view for the public or restricted to authorized members only?
Presentation and Management - Is the layout of the website presentable? Are there any special features that aid in the use of the website?
Usability - How user-friendly is the website? Is navigating through the information and links convenient or difficult to understand?
After going through the factors that I have just stated, I can easily identify the advantages and disadvantages of an internet source. This is useful as I can apply this skill to my future online references and research. I also realized that authoritative sources or not, each can be relevant based on their research and reliability, readers do not have to focus their trust on only sources from professional organizations or companies.
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