Building a Community of Readers

How to Tell if You're Looking at a Great Web Site

The World Wide Web is a lot like a flea market: there's a vast selection of sites to choose from but not a lot of order to it. Some sites are offered by reputable "dealers" and some from individuals who want to show off their personal favorite items. Sometimes it's hard to tell what's a hidden treasure, what's worth taking a look at, and what's a waste of time.

It's not hard to find sites if you use a search engine like Yahoo® or Lycos®, however...

Here are 3 search engines that we recommend:

	.Fast Search™ www.alltheweb.com/
	.Google™ www.google.com/
	.Ilor™ www.ilor.com/

But how can you tell if a site you find is worthwhile? Here are a few ways...

1. Web Site Addresses: What do they tell you about the site?

	.Sites from commercial businesses usually include ".com"Federal government sites end in ".gov"
	.Kindergarten-12th grade school sites often include "k12" in their address
	.College and university sites often include ".edu"
	.Sites from non-profit organizations often include ".org"
	.A site with a tilde (~) in the address usually indicates that this page is maintained or created by an individual, rather than representing an organization, a business, or a school

2. Authorship/Sponsorship: Who put up the site?

	.The name of the individual or group creating the site should be clearly stated.
	.The creator should give a source for information in the site where necessary.
	.The web site author or manager should provide a way for users to make comments or ask questions.
	.The web site author or manager should be responsive to any questions regarding copyright, trademark, or ownership of all material on the site. Sites that knowingly violate copyright statutes or other laws should not be used in a bibliography.
33. Purpose: Every site has a reason for being there.
	.A site's purpose should be clear and its content should reflect its purpose; to entertain, persuade, educate, or sell.
	.Advertising should not overshadow the content.

A good site should enrich the user's experience and expand the imagination. Sites promoting social biases (gender, racial, religious, or other types) rather than enlarging the views of the user should not be considered worthwhile sites. Adapted for LHS Library from:American Library Association. "Selection Criteria: 700 Great Sites." (September 17, 1999)

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