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Research on the Web: Not All Are Created Equal

Michele K. Haralson and Nancy Rutland Glaub Samford University

Why is it important?

Guidelines for Resources


Authority
Accuracy

Objectivity
Timeliness Scope

Authority

Is there an author or sponsoring organization? What are their qualifications? Are they wellknown and reputable? Is there a link to information about the author or sponsor? What is the websites extension? .com (for profit) .edu (school) .org (nonprofit) .gov (government) .html (look for personal name, ~ or %)

Examples of Authority
Good

http://www.ci.mankato.mn.us/

Not So Good

http://descy.50megs.com/Emankato/mankato.h tml

Accuracy

Is the information reliable and error-free, including grammatical, spelling, and typographical errors? Is there an editor or someone who verifies the information? Is there a bibliography or other resource links clearly listed so the information can be verified in another source?

Examples of Accuracy

Good or not good?

http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/

Objectivity

Purpose

What is the purpose/objective of the website?


Public service Educational Sway opinion

Advertising

Is the information free of advertising? If there is any advertising on the page, is it clearly differentiated from the informational content?

Bias

Is the point of view balanced? Is the information based on fact? Opinion? Prejudice?

Examples of Objectivity
Good or Not So Good?
http://www.buydehydratedwater.com/

Timeliness

Is the page dated? If so, when was the last update? Have the links been kept current?

Examples of Timeliness

Good

http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/computers _math/artificial_intelligence/

Scope

Relevant

Is the content relevant to my topic? Is the information useful? How does the website compare in content to similar websites?

Compare

Examples of Scope

Good and Not So Good?

http://espn.go.com/ http://www.skysports.com/

Challenge: Search Engines Can Retrieve Web Pages Out of Context

Always try to return to the home page to determine the source of the information Your search may return information about the Titanic from a survivors grandson, not an historian Searching Martin Luther King will bring up streets, parks, etc., not just information about the man

Challenge: Blending of Advertising, Information, and Entertainment

Try to determine if the advertising and information both come from the same person / organization. If it is, ask Can I trust this information? Are they just trying to sell me something like on an Infomercial?

Challenge: Instability of Web Pages


Document source to the fullest extent possible Write down the link and the sponsoring organizationknow where the information came from so you can find it again if asked

Challenge: Web Pages Susceptible to Alteration

Attempt to verify information using other sources Dont forget about books and print media

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