Not All Web Pages Are Created Equally.

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Not All Web Pages Are Created Equally.
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Why Do We Need to Evaluate Sites

• Can you tell which is the "real" site?
• This one  WhiteHouse.gov  or this one?  
  WhiteHouse.net or this one? WhiteHouse.org or
  this one?
• This one FBI.org or this one? FBI.gov

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Another Good Reason to Evaluate
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What To Consider

• Authority
• Sponsor
• Currency
• Purpose
• Audience

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Authority

• Is there an author? Is the author qualified? An
  expert?If not look for these clues
• Look for a header or footer showing affiliation.
• Look at the URL. http//www.fbi.gov
• Look at the domain. .edu, .com, .ac.uk, .org,
  .net
• Remember
• Anyone can publish anything on the web.
• WikiWebs, such as Wikipedia
• Use our subscription database
• ed1stop for Groliers Encyclopedia
• Username soquel_stuPassword student

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Sponsor

• Is there a sponsoring institution such as a
  company, government agency, university?
• Remember
• A sponsor may show bias.
• Information on the web page may be presented
  differently depending on the institution that is
  sponsoring the page.
• Who sponsors this page?
• http//www.martinlutherking.org/

And now a word from our sponsor
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Currency

• Is the page dated? If so, when was the last
  update? How current are the links? Have some
  expired or moved?
• Remember
• If current information is needed it is important
  to find out when a web page was last updated.

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Purpose

• What appears to be the purpose for this
  information?
• to inform?
• To explain?
• To persuade?
• To advertise or sell?

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Intended Audience

• Who is the intended audience?
• School children?
• Teens?
• Adults?
• Volleyball players?
• People interested in buying a computer?

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Questions to ask

• Who wrote the page?
• When was it written?
• Why was it written?
• Is is biased?
• Is the author an expert?

• Is the page easy to use?
• Is the page free from HTML errors?
• Are the graphics useful?
• Can you verify the information?
• Is the bibliography included?

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Its okay to be confused!

• There are billions of websites out there
• Many of them are not worthy of your time and
  dont belong in your bibliographies!
• Sometimes its very hard to tell treasure
• from trash
• Sometimes Web developers dont want you to
  understand the difference

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Look for credibility clues!

• When there is no author
• Words and phrases to look for
• About us, Who Am I, FAQs
• E-mail
• If you have no information other than an e-mail
  link, write a polite e-mail asking for more
  information.
• Do a link check (or what do other think?)
• In Google or AltaVista type
• linkhttps//www.cia.gov/cia/publications/fa
  ctbook/index.html
• Your results will show which other sites have
  chosen to link to this page. If respectable
  institutions have linked to a site, that provides
  a clue about the sites credibility.

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Truncate the URL

• Go from
• http//www.statecollege.edu/history/middleages/cha
  ucer/smith.htm
• http//www.statecollege.edu/history/middleages/cha
  ucer
• http//www.statecollege.edu/history/middleages
• http//www.statecollege.edu/history
• http//www.statecollege.edu/

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URLs as clues to content

• .comcommercial sites (vary in their credibility)
• .govU.S. government site
• .orgorganization, often non-profit. Some have
  strong bias and agendas
• .eduschool or university site (is it K-12? By a
  student? By a scholar?)
• .storeretail business
• .intinternational institution

• .aceducational institution (like .edu)
• .milU.S. military site
• .netnetworked service provider, Internet
  administrative site
• .museummuseum
• .nameindividual Internet user
• .biza business
• .proprofessionals site
• personal site

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Compare two sites

• Which of these would be better to use for a
  research paper on CLONING?
• http//www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome
  /home.shtml
• http//www.genochoice.com/

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Remember, the free Web is not your only choice?

• Did you use print sources?
• Did you search subscription databases?
• Did you check with your teacher-librarian for
  advice?

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Just as you evaluate your sources . . .

• Your teacher will evaluate your work based on the
  quality of the sources you select.
• ASK YOURSELF Is this site good enough to cite?
• Use KnightCite to help you create your Works
  Cited or Bibliography
• Quality always counts!

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There are bigger questions in life!You will be
using information to make important decisions!

• Which car should I buy?
• Which doctor should I choose?
• Should my child have this surgery?
• Should I take this medication?
• You want to be able to ensure the information you
  choose is reliable, credible, current, balanced,
  relevant, and accurate!

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Hoax Sites Dont Be Fooled

• Golden Gate Tunnel
• The True but Little Known Facts about Women and
  Aids, with documentation
• National Geographic Article Trick Photos
• Martin Luther King, Jr.
• HOAX SITES ARE FUN

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ULTIMATE CHALLENGE

• Applying This Knowledge When Using the Web as a
  Research Tool

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