Website Evaluation

CARP Detecting!

What's CARP?

When it comes to determining the usefulness of a website, Currency, Authority, Reliability, and Purpose are the four most important elements to evaluate (aka CARP). Getting the skinny on these elements is actually much simpler than you would think. With enough practice, evaluating these elements of websites will come naturally (in fact, some parts might already come naturally for you!)

Currency
Think about it. You wouldn't eat expired yogurt, right? Nor would you want someone who thinks that Pluto is still a planet to tell you about space. Out-of-date information is just as dangerous and out-of-date food. If a website isn't current, you can end up with the wrong information, which can not only make you look silly, it can get in the way of creating the best possible project/assignment and hurt your grade.

Do you have the most recent information? Check the top and bottom of the page for the publication date, copyright date, or date last updated.

Authority/Accuracy
One great thing about the web is that anyone can make a website (We made this one!) On the other hand, it's important to keep in mind that ANYONE can make a website. Usually, you are researching something BECAUSE you don't know much about it, so that makes it difficult to know where to put your trust.

Authority essentially asks if the person who created the site has the credibility to be doing so. If so, there is a greater chance that the site will be accurate. There are many things to check:

1. Does the author provide his/her contact information? (Check the very top and bottom of the page, or the "Contact Us" area)
2. Can you find any additional information about the author? Does he/she have the proper background to make their claims? Are they respected in their field? The same applies for a group/organization. Check the "About Us" area of an organization page.
3. Look for cited sources and use them to fact-check whenever possible.
4. See if you can corroborate (confirm) the information.
5. How in-depth is the author covering the topic? Does he/she claim to know everything? Make sweeping generalizations? Acknowledge opposing arguments?
6. Are there many spelling and grammatical errors? An expert who doesn't proofread isn't much of an expert at all!

Can you trust this author? Check for verifiability, contact information/credentials, and topic coverage.

Which of these sources is more authoritative? Why?

Reliability
The next step is to determine if the site is reliable. In order to ensure this, there are many things you should check.

1. Does the site have staying power? Will it be there tomorrow? Who hosts the site? Evaluate the domain of the URL. The following are usually true:

.com=commercial/business
.net, .org=organizations
.edu=higher education
.gov=federal government site
.state.xx.us=state government site

2. Is the site properly maintained? Do all of the links work?
3. Is the site free or fee?
4. Is the information consistent with what you know to be true and itself? Try finding questionable information in at least two more sources.

Can you count on this site? Will it be here tomorrow and should it be? Check the domain, site maintenance, fees, and your own gut instinct.

Purpose
Now it's time to really look at why this site is out there. At this point you are looking for any bias or slant that might taint the information. Is the author's goal to persuade, to teach, to sell? Find out if:

1. The site is selling something. Keep in mind that the results on the right side of the Google search page are all ads. Additionally, the results with colored backgrounds are ads.
2. The site is an opinion page (wiki, blog, about.com).
3. The site is from an organization that advocates for something (Check the "Mission," "Purpose," or "About Us" links). Figure out what the organization represents.

For whom was this site made and why?

So, in summary, when dealing with websites find the CARP!

Ask yourself about the:

CURRENCY-Do you have the most recent information? Check the top and bottom of the page for the publication date, copyright date, or date last updated. No luck? Try a "whois" search.
AUTHORITY-Can you trust this author? Check for verifiability, contact information/credentials, and topic coverage.
RELIABILITY-Can you count on this site? Will it be here tomorrow and should it be? Check the domain, site maintenance, fees, and your own gut instinct.
PURPOSE-For whom was this site made and why?

Website Evaluation Practice Activities

1. http://www.whitehouse.net
2. http://www.google.co.uk/intl/en/landing/translateforanimals/
3. http://www.petsorfood.com

Sources:

Harris, Robert. "Evaluating Internet Research Sources." VirtualSalt. 22 Nov. 2010. Web. 30 Oct. 2011. <http://www.virtualsalt.com/evalu8it.htm>.
Kapoun, Jim. "Five Criteria for Evaluating Web Pages." C&RL News July/August 1998 (1998): 522-23. Olin & Uris Libraries. Cornell University, 28 June 2010. Web. 28 Oct. 2011. <http://olinuris.library.cornell.edu/ref/research/webcrit.html>.