Trash or Treasure?Trash or Treasure?

How to Evaluate How to Evaluate Internet ResourcesInternet Resources

Hey there! Hey there! Have you evaluated?Have you evaluated?

Is that Is that sitesite

good enough to good enough to citecite??

Remember:Remember:Anyone can publish Anyone can publish anythinganythingon the Web!on the Web!

It is your job, as a It is your job, as a researcher, to look researcher, to look for quality!for quality!

Hmmm. This one looks good.

How can I tell for sure?

Five Criteria:Five Criteria:

Accuracy/ReliabilityAccuracy/Reliability AuthorityAuthority ObjectivityObjectivity CurrencyCurrency OrganizationOrganization

Accuracy/ ReliabilityAccuracy/ Reliability

How reliable is the How reliable is the information?information?

Can you verify the Can you verify the information?information?

Does it match reality?Does it match reality? Are sources cited?Are sources cited?

Accuracy/ Reliability Accuracy/ Reliability Cont’dCont’d

Why was the page put on the Why was the page put on the web?web?

(Inform, Explain, Persuade, (Inform, Explain, Persuade, Sell, Entice, Share, Disclose, Sell, Entice, Share, Disclose, Other)Other)

Possibly ironic? Satire or Possibly ironic? Satire or parody?parody?

AUTHORITYAUTHORITY

Who is the author?Who is the author?

Why is he or she an expert? (experience? Why is he or she an expert? (experience? Education?) Education?)

Is this a personal page? (Clues: ~ tilde, Is this a personal page? (Clues: ~ tilde, %, users, members)%, users, members)

Is it part of a major institution? Is it part of a major institution?

Is the page hosted by a free server like Is the page hosted by a free server like AOL Members, Tripod, Geocities?AOL Members, Tripod, Geocities?

Look for credibility clues!Look for credibility clues!

Words and phrases to look for:Words and phrases to look for:

• About us, Who Am I, FAQs, For About us, Who Am I, FAQs, For More, Company Information, Profiles, More, Company Information, Profiles, Our Staff, HomeOur Staff, Home

• Search for the author in a search engine Search for the author in a search engine or online databaseor online database

• Ask your teacher-librarian for helpAsk your teacher-librarian for help

Truncate the URLTruncate the URL

Delete characters in the address line up to Delete characters in the address line up to the next slash mark to see if a main page offers the next slash mark to see if a main page offers more information about who is responsible for more information about who is responsible for publishing the page you are interested in.publishing the page you are interested in.

Go from:http://pathology.uth.tmc.edu/courses/BT2003/BTstudents2003_files%5CPlague2003.htm

TO

http://pathology.uth.tmc.edu/

What do their URLs reveal about What do their URLs reveal about these sites?these sites?

http://personal.statecollege.edu/~ejv114/http://personal.statecollege.edu/~ejv114/

http://www.fi.edu/wright/index.htmlhttp://www.fi.edu/wright/index.html

http://www.house.gov/house/Legproc.htmlhttp://www.house.gov/house/Legproc.html

http://aolmembers.com/joyciev328/civalwarsonghttp://aolmembers.com/joyciev328/civalwarsong

Authority Cont’dAuthority Cont’d Look at the DomainLook at the Domain

.edu .com .gov .org .mil.edu .com .gov .org .mil

Can you get in touch with them?Can you get in touch with them?

ObjectivityObjectivity

Is the information Is the information biased?biased?

Was information Was information omitted?omitted?

Is only one side of the Is only one side of the issue presented?issue presented?

CurrencyCurrency

Look for datesLook for dates First writtenFirst written First publishedFirst published Last revisedLast revised

Is your topic time Is your topic time sensitive?sensitive?

Are the links up to date?Are the links up to date? Be suspicious of Be suspicious of

undated material.undated material.

OrganizationOrganization Is it easy to use?Is it easy to use? Can you find information easily?Can you find information easily? Is it organized?Is it organized?

So, why should we care So, why should we care about all of this?about all of this?

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

• Which car should I buy?Which car should I buy?• Which doctor should I choose?Which doctor should I choose?• Should my child have this surgery?Should my child have this surgery?• Should I take this medication?Should I take this medication?

You want to be able to ensure the You want to be able to ensure the information you choose is reliable, credible, information you choose is reliable, credible, current, balanced, relevant, and accurate!current, balanced, relevant, and accurate!

Use Trusted Use Trusted Websites such as:Websites such as:

BCPS DatabasesBCPS Databases

http://www.google.com/scholarhttp://www.google.com/scholar

When in doubt contact the Better Business Bureau. Don’t get scammed!!http://www.bbb.org/council/

Now that I’ve found a Now that I’ve found a site…site…

Look for the criteria to judge the website.Look for the criteria to judge the website. Determine if the site is useful to you.Determine if the site is useful to you.