Presenting a proposed framework for evaluating university websites

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to design a proposed framework for evaluating university websites.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is an exploratory mixed research. It was an applied research in terms of objective and used the Delphi technique and systematic review and meta-analysis approaches. Data collection tools were done through library studies, Delphi checklist and observation. The statistical population of the research comprised 17 experts who are designers of university websites and 20 Iranian university websites selected from the Webometrics website. The statistical data were analyzed using fuzzy methods, descriptive and inferential statistical methods and the SWARA weighting method. Also, the statistical analysis software SPSS 20 and Excel 2016, TOPSIS engineering software and MAXQDA were used.

Findings

Findings indicated that the dimensions of the designed proposed framework in order of their weights are credibility (0.130), reliability (0.125), usability (0.120), website design (0.110), functionality (0.104), content (0.100), page design (0.0922), efficiency (0.082), Webometrics (0.070) and systematic evaluation (0.067). Mebrate’s (2010) framework had the highest overlap (mean = 74.65), and Webometrics (mean = 18.5) had the least overlap and dependency (mean = 19) with the proposed framework. In the evaluation of the 20 university websites of Iran selected from the Webometrics site, the University of Tehran was ranked first with a score of 82.7 and Shiraz University was ranked last with a score of 75.

Originality/value

This study provides a comprehensive proposed framework for evaluating university websites that eliminates the shortcomings of all models, frameworks and methods of university website evaluation that focused only on one or more dimensions of university websites.

Citation

Gharibe Niazi, M., Karbala Aghaei Kamran, M. and Ghaebi, A. (2020), "Presenting a proposed framework for evaluating university websites", The Electronic Library, Vol. 38 No. 5/6, pp. 881-904. https://doi.org/10.1108/EL-06-2020-0141