| Selection
Criteria: |
site
guidelines that spell out measurements for resource selection.
The Social Science Information Gateway offers an excellent
example of such criteria. |
| Design: |
presentation,
navigability, and overall ease of use. How does the site look?
Is it well-organized, easy to follow? How fast does it load? Is
the font-size legible? Are colors and graphics distracting? Do
the links works? |
| Help
Documentation and Support: |
readily-accessible
materials that explain how to use the site and its resources.
Does the site guide novice users (e.g., "new to the
site?")? Are help links available on every page? Are
they easy to find? Does it suggest additional ways to find
related information? Is contact information available and easy
to find? |
| Performance: |
site
stability and availability. Is there minimal down time? Do the
links work? What is the page load time? Is it consistent? |
| Maintenance: |
closely
related to timeliness -- one of the basic
five criteria, this refers to the regular revision of a site
in order to keep links and information up to date. Evaluators
should consider clearly dated and labeled archival sites. |
| Audience: |
target
group, including age, language, reading ability, interests, etc.
Is the site appropriate for younger audiences? Does it target a
certain group (e.g., doctors) or the general public? What is the
reading level? |