Assessing Website quality in context: retrieving information about genetically modified food on the Web
<br><b>Introduction.</b> Knowing the credibility of information about genetically modified food on the Internet is critical to the everyday life information seeking of consumers as they form opinions about this nascent agricultural technology. The Website Quality Evaluation Tool (...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
University of Borås
2005-01-01
|
| Series: | Information Research: An International Electronic Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://informationr.net/ir/10-2/paper213.html |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832569455607021568 |
|---|---|
| author | Claire R. McInerney Nora J. Bird |
| author_facet | Claire R. McInerney Nora J. Bird |
| author_sort | Claire R. McInerney |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <br><b>Introduction.</b> Knowing the credibility of information about genetically modified food on the Internet is critical to the everyday life information seeking of consumers as they form opinions about this nascent agricultural technology. The Website Quality Evaluation Tool (WQET) is a valuable instrument that can be used to determine the credibility of Websites on any topic. <br><b>Method.</b> This study sought to use the WQET to determine the quality of Websites in the context of biotechnology or genetically modified food and to seek one or more easily identified characteristics, such as bias, commitment, use of metatags and site update-access interval (length of time between last update of the site and the date reviewed) that might be used as a quick discriminator of a Website's quality. <br><b>Analysis.</b> Using SPSS, ANOVA and regression analyses were performed with the website variables of a population of one hundred Websites about genetically modified food. <br><b>Results.</b> Only the site update-access interval was determined to be a shortcut quality indicator with an inverse relationship. The longer the interval the lower the quality score. <br><b>Conclusion.</b> The study established a model for Website quality evaluation. The update-access interval proved to be the single clear-cut indicator to judge Website quality in everyday information seeking. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-553a699c5931409ebb89b64b147ec8cb |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1368-1613 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2005-01-01 |
| publisher | University of Borås |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Information Research: An International Electronic Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-553a699c5931409ebb89b64b147ec8cb2025-02-02T21:03:26ZengUniversity of BoråsInformation Research: An International Electronic Journal1368-16132005-01-01102213Assessing Website quality in context: retrieving information about genetically modified food on the WebClaire R. McInerneyNora J. Bird<br><b>Introduction.</b> Knowing the credibility of information about genetically modified food on the Internet is critical to the everyday life information seeking of consumers as they form opinions about this nascent agricultural technology. The Website Quality Evaluation Tool (WQET) is a valuable instrument that can be used to determine the credibility of Websites on any topic. <br><b>Method.</b> This study sought to use the WQET to determine the quality of Websites in the context of biotechnology or genetically modified food and to seek one or more easily identified characteristics, such as bias, commitment, use of metatags and site update-access interval (length of time between last update of the site and the date reviewed) that might be used as a quick discriminator of a Website's quality. <br><b>Analysis.</b> Using SPSS, ANOVA and regression analyses were performed with the website variables of a population of one hundred Websites about genetically modified food. <br><b>Results.</b> Only the site update-access interval was determined to be a shortcut quality indicator with an inverse relationship. The longer the interval the lower the quality score. <br><b>Conclusion.</b> The study established a model for Website quality evaluation. The update-access interval proved to be the single clear-cut indicator to judge Website quality in everyday information seeking.http://informationr.net/ir/10-2/paper213.htmlEvaluation of Website quality |
| spellingShingle | Claire R. McInerney Nora J. Bird Assessing Website quality in context: retrieving information about genetically modified food on the Web Information Research: An International Electronic Journal Evaluation of Website quality |
| title | Assessing Website quality in context: retrieving information about genetically modified food on the Web |
| title_full | Assessing Website quality in context: retrieving information about genetically modified food on the Web |
| title_fullStr | Assessing Website quality in context: retrieving information about genetically modified food on the Web |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing Website quality in context: retrieving information about genetically modified food on the Web |
| title_short | Assessing Website quality in context: retrieving information about genetically modified food on the Web |
| title_sort | assessing website quality in context retrieving information about genetically modified food on the web |
| topic | Evaluation of Website quality |
| url | http://informationr.net/ir/10-2/paper213.html |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT clairermcinerney assessingwebsitequalityincontextretrievinginformationaboutgeneticallymodifiedfoodontheweb AT norajbird assessingwebsitequalityincontextretrievinginformationaboutgeneticallymodifiedfoodontheweb |