Internet Research and Reliability

Lynn W Zimmerman, PhD

Internet Traditional

Comparing Research Tools

Wading Through the Web View Session 1: slides 1-14

Wading through the Internet

Which search engines have you used before? Which of these are new to you? Of the new ones, which did you like? Why? Which search engine did you find most helpful

and why?

Session 1: Discussion

View Session 2, slides 15-21 How did the advanced search options work for

you? What was the most surprising thing you

learned? What was the most helpful thing you learned?

Session 2

Internet Citations

Driscoll, D.L. (n.d.). Appropriate pronoun usage. Retrieved from http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/608/05/Pashler, H. (2008). Learning styles. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 9, 105-119. Retrieved from http://academics.gsu.edu/ijsotl/v9n1.htmlReid, J. (2013). Perceptual learning-style questionnaire. Retrieved from http://lookingahead.heinle.com/filing/l-styles.htmU.S. Census Bureau. (2008). Race and ethnic classifications used in the Census. Retrieved from www.census.gov/population/socdemo/race/racefactcb.html

APA Style

Who authored (wrote) the site? Who published the site? What is the main purpose of the site? Who is the intended audience? How does it all add up?

Internet Reliability

Look for an “About” or “More about the Author” link

No information about the author(s) is suspicious. Does the author provide his/her credentials?

expertise on the subject education experience

 Google the author What kinds of websites are associated with author’s name? Affiliated with any education institutions? Do commercial sites come up? Clues to particular biases the author might have?

Who authored (wrote) the site?

Domain name of the website

who is hosting the site Suffixes

.edu = educational � .com = commercial .mil = military .gov = government � .org = nonprofit

Search the domain name at http://www.whois.sc/  What is the organization’s main purpose?

Check main website Is it educational? Commercial? Is it reputable?

Who published the site?

To sell a product? � As a personal hobby? � As a public service? � To further scholarship on a topic? � To provide general information on a topic? � To persuade you of a particular point of view? � Scan the homepage of the website.

cluttered with advertising? appear to be professionally designed? trying to persuade you to buy something?

What is the main purpose of the site?

Scholars or the general public? Which age group is it written for? Is it aimed at people from a particular

geographic area? Is it aimed at members of a particular

profession or with specific training?

Who is the intended audience?

When was the website first published?

Is it regularly updated? Does the author cite sources? What type of other sites does the website link to?

Are they reputable sites? If author references online material, are there links to the

material?   What type of sites link to the website you’re evaluating? From www.yahoo.com or www.google.com, type link:

[name of your website] with no space after the colon. Does the resulting search include reputable or well- known

sites?

What is the quality of information on the website?

Does this website fit your information needs?

How does it all add up?

Choose one of these three websites to check

out. Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division (DMRD)

- http://www.dhmo.org/ RYT Hospital/ Dwayne Medical Center -

http://www.malepregnancy.com/ Museum of Jurassic Technology

Discuss your findings on our Facebook group

Website Reliability Activity

IRA.NCTE. (2006) IRA/NCTE. Wading through the web. Retrieved from http://www.readwritethink.org/lesson_images/lesson983/presentation.ppt

References