Evaluating the University of Wyoming History Department Web Resource

This assignment presents a comprehensive evaluation of the University of Wyoming's History Department website. The evaluation meticulously examines the website across five key criteria: authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, and coverage. The analysis begins by assessing the website's authority, verifying the sponsor, and confirming contact information for legitimacy. The accuracy of the information is then scrutinized, checking for factual errors and ensuring the clarity of statistical data presentation. Objectivity is evaluated by considering the website's purpose and the absence of bias or advertising. The currency of the information is determined by checking for dates of updates and the validity of links. Finally, the coverage of the subject matter is assessed to ensure completeness and adequacy. The assignment concludes with a reference to the website used for the evaluation. This assignment provides a detailed, critical analysis of the website's strengths and weaknesses based on the provided criteria.

Running head: WEB RESOURCE EVALUATION
WEB RESOURCE EVALUATION
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1WEB RESOURCE EVALUATION
Content description
The website that has been chosen for the assignment belongs to one of the educational
departments at the University of Wyoming. The webpage that is selected is the online page that
is designed for the department of history that is present within the university. The webpage helps
the concerned viewers to understand the ways in which the department would be functioning for
the students. The webpage highlights the names and the academic qualifications of the professors
who have been teaching at the given department. The web page also highlights the history of the
department and the foundational discipline that is maintained within the organization. The
webpage further highlights the knowledge that might be gained by the students while they study
at the department of history at the esteemed University of Wyoming. The webpage further
highlights the various courses that are taught within the department at the various levels of
education.
Evaluation
Criterion #1: Authority
Is it clear who is sponsoring the creation and maintenance of the web resource?
The creation and the maintenance of the web resource is clearly undertaken by the
concerned authorities at the University of Wyoming. This is clearly observed on perusing
through the website.
Is there information available describing the purpose of the sponsoring organization?

2WEB RESOURCE EVALUATION
The webpage regarding the information of the Department of History at the esteemed
University of Wyoming contains specific information about the sponsoring organization. The
sponsoring organization in this case refers to the esteemed University of Wyoming.
Is there a way to verifying the legitimacy of the web resource’s sponsor? For instance, are phone
numbers, street and e-mail addresses available to contact for more information?
The legitimacy of the web resource can be verified with the University of Wyoming. The
web resource has provided its viewers with the contact information of the physical address of the
department of history within the university. The web resource also highlights the email
addresses of the department.
Is it clear who developed and wrote the material? Are his/her qualifications for writing on this
topic clearly stated? Is there contact information for the author of the material?
The author of the web page has not been mentioned within the web page.
What is the copyright information? Make certain to include it in all web resource references.
The copyright of the web resource belongs to the Department of History that is present
within the University of Wyoming. The operators of the web page are solely responsible for the
content of the web page.
Criterion #2: Accuracy
Are the sources for factual information given so they can be verified?
The sources for the factual information are provided within the web page. The concerned
web page contains information regarding the contact details of the university as well as the
department of history.

3WEB RESOURCE EVALUATION
Is it clear who has the responsibility for the accuracy of the information presented?
The responsibility of the accuracy of the information is clearly undertaken by the
concerned department at the University of Wyoming. The information can be verified at the
concerned department of the university.
If statistical data is presented in graphs or charts, are they labeled clearly?
The web page contains no such descriptive or graphical representation of the data
regarding the University or the department of history.
Are there errors you can substantiate in the data presented?
The data presented within the web page of the Department of History at the esteemed
University of Wyoming does not contain any data that can be substantiated as incorrect.
Is the web resource safe to use?
The web resource can be declared safe to use since it is created as well as maintained by
the concerned Department of History at the University of Wyoming.
Does the web site lead you to unsafe links?
The website of the Department of History at the University of Wyoming does not lead the
viewers to any unsafe links and thus can be safely browsed by the viewers.
Criterion #3: Objectivity
Is the web resource and the information included offered as a public service?

4WEB RESOURCE EVALUATION
The web resource and the information that is included therein is observed to be a part of
the public service. This is due to the fact that the web page might be accessed by any member or
viewer without any issues.
Is it free of advertising?
The web page of the Department of History at the esteemed University of Wyoming is
devoid of any advertising. This leads to the seamless browsing of the web page by the concerned
viewer.
Is it free to use? Some sites, for example genealogy search sites charge a fee.
The web page of the Department of History at the esteemed University of Wyoming is
devoid of any fees that are required for the browsing of the page. This leads to the seamless
nature of the data that is provided through the web page.
If there is advertising on the web resource, is it clearly separated from the informational content?
[Note: do not use web resources that advertise.]
The web page of the Department of History at the esteemed University of Wyoming is
devoid of any advertising. Thus, it can be stated that the website contains only informational
content.
Are there any other signs of bias? For example, if using a privately-funded web resource what
are the funding sources (a conservative or liberal political organization, a religious institution, an
anti-scientific cause)?

5WEB RESOURCE EVALUATION
There is observed no amount of bias in the presentation of the web page. The web page
clearly demonstrates the information that is required by the students in order to seek admission
to the concerned department at the university.
Criterion #4: Currency
Are there dates on the web resource to indicate the following:
When the information was written?
No, the web resource does not contain dates regarding composition of information.
When the web site was first placed on line?
No, the web resource does not contain dates regarding the initial posting.
When the web site (and all the information) was last revised or edited?
No, the web resource does not contain dates regarding revision of information.
Are there any other indications that the material is updated frequently to ensure currency of the
data?
Yes, the web resource does contain indications regarding updating of information at the
regular intervals of time.
Are the links on the web resource up-to-date and do these links adhere to the criteria noted in this
exercise?
Yes, the web resource does contain links regarding the information updates and the links
to the other related departments of the university.
Criterion #5: Coverage

6WEB RESOURCE EVALUATION
Is there an indication that the web resource has been completed and is not still under
construction?
The web resource that is being reviewed in this assignment is completed. The website
does not indicate that it is under construction.
If the material is from a work that is out of copyright (as is often the case with a dictionary or
thesaurus), has there been an effort to update the material to make it more current?
The web page does not comprise of any material that is out of copyright.
Are there any other signs of omissions?
The website does not contain any sign of omission as well.
Does it cover the subject adequately?
The web page covers all the required information in an adequate manner.

7WEB RESOURCE EVALUATION
References
Uwyo.edu 2020. Department of History | Office of the Registrar | University of Wyoming.
[online] Uwyo.edu. Available at: https://www.uwyo.edu/registrar/university_catalog/2ashist.html
[Accessed 22 Jan. 2020].