Evaluating Web Sites

Why did they create the site?

When you first encounter a web site, you should determine its purpose. Most sites have a reason for existing and that purpose influences and even determines the information the site will present. That sounds pretty cut-and-dry, but the thing to remember is that the information that a site presents is skewed in support of its purpose. For example, a business site exists to promote a company's products or services. A business site will only show information that supports and praises its products or services. The site won't show information that is critical of the company, its products or its services. The same site might also include information that is critical of its competitor's products. This is a pretty old selling strategy, and most people already know to keep an eye out for this kind of stuff. Some examples may not be so obvious. A good rule of thumb is to question what the purpose of the site is and then think about how that purpose can and does affect the site's content. You can ask the following questions to help determine the purpose of a site:

Is the topic covered appropriately?
Are opposing viewpoints presented?