Week 6: Evaluation & Authentication

Lecture

In todays leacture we were informed of the different qualities of internet web-sites and the different techniques we could use to differ between authentic and unauthentic sites.

These are some criterias that should be used to check if a site is authentic

Accuracy

• Is the information reliable and error-free?
• Is there an editor or someone who checks the information?

Authority

• Is there an author?
• Is th author qualified?
• Whos is te sponsor?
• Is te sposor of the page reputable?

Ojectivity

• Does the information show a minimum of bias?
• Is te page designed to sway opinon?
• Is there any advertising on the page?

Currency

• Is the page up to date?
• Have the links expired or moved?

Coverage

• What topic is covered?
• How detailed is the material?

Task

ICYouSee: http://www.ithaca.edu/library/training/think.html

Make sure you are in the right place

When using the Web ask yourself why you are using the Web. Don't use the Web because it is fun and easy. An hour on the Web may not answer a question that you could find within two minutes of picking up a reference book.

When in doubt, doubt

Almost anyone can put up anything on the Web for any purpose. Accuracy is not easy to confirm. Information on a site cannot be evaluated unless you compare it to other sources. As with any research, you must test one source against another.

Consider the source

Try to find out details of the person who wrote or created the Web pages. It is easy to think that an author wouldn’t be writing unless he or she was some kind of expert on the topic, but that is not always true.

Know what's happening

Try to identify the reason the Web page was created in the first place. Determine if the main purpose is to inform, to persuade, or to sell you something. If you know the motive behind the page's creation, you can better judge its content.

Look at the details

Check for the obvious things, such as good grammar and correct spelling. Note the depth of the material presented. Look for documentation of the facts being presented. Look for the date the page was last up dated.

Distinguish Web pages from pages found on the web

When people speak of Web pages, they usually don't mean books and articles, but both books and articles are accessible through the Web.

INCO 48: http://www.taftcollege.edu/newTC/Academic/INCO48/sec6-4.htm

• Content
• Credibility
• Critical Thinking
• Copyright
• Citation
• Continuity
• Censorship
• Connectivity
• Comparability
• Context