Criteria for Evaluating the Quality of a Web Site

Judging the quality of a website can be very subjective. Sites are created for a variety of reasons
-- for art, education, entertainment, commercial and business purposes, as well as for information
or personal use. The quality of a website must be judged within the context of its purpose;
however there are a few rules that all websites should follow. To find out more about these
guidelines, visit the World Wide Web Consortium. This organization is attempting to create
guidelines and specifications for the Web that promote universal access, responsible use, and
user friendliness. When judging a website, be sure to examine the five areas listed below. These
criteria are taken loosely from the judging criteria at World Best Websites which has a five-
star points system for determining the "best" sites on the Web.

1. ACCESSIBILITY
It is important that a website be as universally accessible as possible. For a website to be highly
accessible, it will load quickly, and be viewable in different browsers, operating systems and
monitor resolutions. It will also provide access to people with disabilities and from different
levels of educational and cultural backgrounds. When making a Web site, follow the guidelines
of the Web Accessibility Initiative. A good way to verify that your website is very accessible is
to use a tool such as the free HTML validation service from the World Wide Web Consortium
at http://validator.w3.org/.

2. DESIGN
The design of a website is a very important element to consider when judging overall quality.
Good websites have a design that is visually appealing, readable, easy to navigate, and reinforces
the purpose of the site while giving it a unified look and feel. The Web Style Guide is an
excellent resource for the basics of website, Web page, and Web graphic design.

https://enablemarketing.com/makes-website-visually-appealing/#gref

https://www.hotjar.com/conversion-rate-optimization/glossary/website-readability/

https://medium.com/@OPTASY.com/what-makes-a-website-easy-to-navigate-11-best-practices-
for-organizing-your-websites-navigation-60a3905bf84b
 3. CONTENT
Use the Criteria for Assessing the Quality of Information listed
above: accuracy, authority, objectivity, currency, and coverage.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
225930005_Web_Content_Analysis_Expanding_the_Paradigm

https://divvyhq.com/tips-how-tos/how-to-conduct-website-content-analysis/

4. TECHNOLOGICAL ASPECTS AND INTERACTIVITY

You can judge a site on how the technologies used add to (or detract from) the purpose of the
site. The site should use new technologies and the multimedia nature of the Web to allow user
interactivity and make the experience different from reading a book, listening to the radio or
watching a TV show. Message and bulletin boards, surveys, videos, games, online tests, audio
selections, chat rooms, broadcasting, and search technologies are just a few of the ways
technology can be used to make a website more interactive.

https://uxstudioteam.com/ux-blog/interactive-websites/

5. CREATIVENESS/ORIGINALITY
Creative and original websites can be more fun to use because of their novelty and ingenuity. A
good website is distinguishable from other websites, and should give you something that you
can't find elsewhere. It should be distinct and memorable and give a good over-all impression.

6 CRITERIA FOR WEBSITES

These six criteria deal with the content of Web sites rather than the graphics or site design.
Apply these criteria when you research on the internet.

1. AUTHORITY
Authority reveals that the person, institution or agency responsible for a site has the
qualifications and knowledge to do so. Evaluating a web site for authority:

 Authorship: It should be clear who developed the site.

 Contact information should be clearly provided: e-mail address, snail mail address, phone
number, and fax number.
 Credentials: the author should state qualifications, credentials, or personal background that gives
them authority to present information.
 Check to see if the site supported by an organization or a commercial body

https://moz.com/learn/seo/page-authority

https://ahrefs.com/website-authority-checker

2. PURPOSE
The purpose of the information presented in the site should be clear. Some sites are meant to
inform, persuade, state an opinion, entertain, or parody something or someone. Evaluating a
web site for purpose:

 Does the content support the purpose of the site?

 Is the information geared to a specific audience (students, scholars, general reader)?
 Is the site organized and focused?
 Are the outside links appropriate for the site?
 Does the site evaluate the links?
 Check the domain of the site. The URL may indicate its purpose.

3. COVERAGE
It is difficult to assess the extent of coverage since depth in a site, through the use of links, can
be infinite. One author may claim comprehensive coverage of a topic while another may cover
just one aspect of a topic. Evaluating a web site for coverage:

 Does the site claim to be selective or comprehensive?

 Are the topics explored in depth?
 Compare the value of the site’s information compared to other similar sites.
 Do the links go to outside sites rather than its own?
 Does the site provide information with no relevant outside links?

https://opensenselabs.com/blog/articles/comprehensive-guide-web-design

4. CURRENCY
Currency of the site refers to: 1) how current the information presented is, and 2) how often
the site is updated or maintained. It is important to know when a site was created, when it was
last updated, and if all of the links are current. Evaluating a web site for currency involves
finding the date information was:

 first written
 placed on the web
 last revised

Then ask if:

 Links are up-to-date

 Links provided should be reliable. Dead links or references to sites that have moved are not
useful.
 Information provided so trend related that its usefulness is limited to a certain time period?
 the site been under construction for some time?

5. OBJECTIVITY
Objectivity of the site should be clear. Beware of sites that contain bias or do not admit its bias
freely. Objective sites present information with a minimum of bias. Evaluating a web site for
objectivity:

 Is the information presented with a particular bias?

 Does the information try to sway the audience?
 Does site advertising conflict with the content?
 Is the site trying to explain, inform, persuade, or sell something?

6. ACCURACY
There are few standards to verify the accuracy of information on the web. It is the
responsibility of the reader to assess the information presented. Evaluating a web site for
accuracy:

 Reliability: Is the author affiliated with a known, respectable institution?

 References: do statistics and other factual information receive proper references as to their
origin?
 Does the reading you have already done on the subject make the information seem accurate?
 Is the information comparable to other sites on the same topic?
 Does the text follow basic rules of grammar, spelling and composition?
 Is a bibliography or reference list included?