Introduction of the Methods and Models of University Website Evaluation

Abstract

Among different tools, university website is one of the cost-effective and convenient methods for communicating with users; it is also a platform for institutions or organizations to achieve their goals. Universities should work on their websites to keep positive images in their public minds. This study aimed to introduce overlapping various types of university website evaluation methods and models. Therefore, content analysis was adopted as the research methodology. Then, scientific databases were searched using the related keywords and extracting the published articles in the context of the university website evaluation. The results of this study showed that university website evaluation models and methods included Quality Web Model Development, Webqem, WAI, Webometrics, E-Qual, University Websites Evaluation and Credibility (UWEAC), University Website Evaluation Framework (UWEF), Development and Validation of the University Website Evaluation Scale (UWES), a Web Usability Evaluation Model for Higher Education (WUEM), University Websites Quality Web Model Development, University Portals Data Quality assessment Framework (UPDQAF), and the University Website Usability Evaluation checklist (UWUE): An exploratory study. In fact, webometrics is the only method that is distinct from other assessment methods. Moreover, UWEAC model with the highest average (0.194) has the most overlap with others. Since the University Websites Evaluation and Credibility (UWEAC) are the comprehensive model, university website designers and evaluators could consider this approach as a preferable model in the university website evaluation but they should ensure that most of the evaluation criteria are considered.

Keywords

• university website
• evaluation
• comparative study
• methods and models