Evaluating Websites

If I find it online, it must be true! MrDiehm.weebly.com

Objectives
Understand not all web pages are created equal Explain 4 methods used to determine the validity and reliability of web pages Evaluate the validity and reliability of web pages

Why would the internet lie to me?

http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/

1. Purpose
.com = ($$)
Common commercial sites

.gov = (political)
Political in nature

.net = (Microsoft)
Software framework ran by Microsoft and used by programmers to create custom Web 2.0 tools

.edu = (Educational)
Reserved for postsecondary educational institutions

.org = (Non-Profit)
Once reserved for nonprofit organizations Anybody allowed to register a .org

uk/.us/.fr = (Country)
Country in which a web site is registered

Purpose (Cont.)
Inform
Built on facts, links and support for information presented

Entertain
Not meant to be used to support research

Convince
Relies on opinions supported by bias to sway you to believe the authors point of view

Deceive
Purposely try to imply incorrect information is the truth/fact.

Inform http://www.genderandaids.org/in dex.php Entertain http://www.guitarshredshow.com/ main.html Convince http://www.madeinusa.org/nav.cg i?info/whybuy Deceive http://www.martinlutherking.org/

2. Author
Background Check
Good Example:

Check site documents and http://www.mankato-mn.gov/ external sources to learn about the author

How does the author know what he is talking about?

Experience, education, training

Bad Example:

http://descy.50megs.com/mank ato/mankato.html

Can you verify the author?

Is there a phone number or other contact information

3. Content
Fact or Opinion
Is the information cited? Look at the sentence structure: I feel, I think statements mean opinion

Accuracy
Are there spelling and/or grammatical mistakes?

Bias
Does the web site examine 1side, 2-sides or all sides of the topic?

Support
Is there a bibliography, editors or links to support the provided information?

Advertising
Who is being allowed to advertise?

Contradictions
Is the information contradictory to what you have already researched?

4. Recognition
Have other organizations recognized this site as being safe/accurate/reliable?

Final Piece of Advice

Specialized search engines
GoogleScholar instaGrok

Always backup your information

We would never accept a students bibliography with only one source, so you should always look for similar/identical information from several web sites.

Exit Assignment

MrDiehm.weebly.com/blog.html