Design and implementation of a weighted features model for the evaluation of archival websites

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of the present work was to design a comprehensive weighted features model for the specific evaluation of archival websites, and to apply it in practice to the particular population of Spain's web archives, ranking them in terms of quality based on the features they include. Design/methodology/approach – The design of the weighted features model is based on two parameters: the weight assigned to each feature according to its relevance for information retrieval from archival websites, and the archival website's degree of compliance with that feature. Findings – The results of the practical application of the model to the case of Spanish web archives showed that, contrary to prior expectation, factors which are intrinsic to the geographical region of Spain that the archive belongs to, such as economic level or degree of commitment to specific archival legislation, do not directly influence its website's quality ranking. Instead, the authors conclude that the population of archival websites presents its own particular behaviour. Originality/value – There has been a general lack of research specific to the analysis of the features of archival websites. The present work represents a certain advance in this regard in its proposal of a comprehensive weighted model of indicators for the specific evaluation of archival websites.