Bright Ideas: Computer Connections

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Bright Ideas Internet Research

• National History Day Workshop
• Herbert Hoover Presidential Library

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Evaluating Webpages

• WHY is it important to evaluate Internet
  resources?
• ANYONE can "publish" information on the Internet.
  
• Unlike traditional print resources, web resources
  rarely have editors or academic reviewers.
• No standards exist to ensure accuracy on the
  World Wide Web.

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Evaluating Webpages

• Ask these three questions
• Author - WHO wrote the web page?
• Bias - WHAT is the author's point of view?
• Currency - IS this current or out-of-date?

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WHO wrote the web page?

• Who is the author? Is there any link that
  provides more information about this person -
  their profession, education, titles, etc.?
• Is the author an authority on the subject?

Example 1 Example 2 Example 3
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WHO wrote the web page?

• But what if there is no author?
• What organization or group created the webpage?
  .com, .gov, .org, .mil

Example 1 Example 2
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WHAT is the author's point of view?

• Is the Web page sponsored by a corporation that
  wants to sell you something?
• Who is the author and are they trying to sway
  your opinion?
• Is the Web page owner an organization looking to
  present their point of view on an issue?

Example 1 Example 2
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IS this current or out-of-date?

• Is the document dated?
• Is the content of the work current or up-to-date?
  
• Are there links to older or newer information?
• Are the links up-to-date? Do the hyperlinks take
  you to "Not Found" pages?

Example 1 Example 2
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Review

• Author - WHO wrote the web page?
• Bias - WHAT is the author's point of view?
• Currency - IS this current or out-of-date?

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The MOST IMPORTANT question you should askwhen
conducting any historical research

• This applies to any source
• books, websites, documents, photos, videos, sound
  recordings...

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The MOST IMPORTANT question you should askwhen
conducting any historical research

• WHY is this important?

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Getting Started
http//memory.loc.gov/ammem/

• http//www.nationalhistoryday.org

http//hoover.archives.gov
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Acknowlegements

• Some examples borrowed from
• EVALUATING INTERNET SITES 101!,
• written by Carol Anne Germain and Laura
  Horn.University Libraries, University at Albany

http//library.albany.edu/usered/wwweval/aud/aud3.
html