 Locating Web Sites and Evaluating Information Sources
Efficient Location
A) Be selective
- Search features and methods vary, as do scope,size and accuracy of databases. Some search engines are topic specific. Be sure to choose an appropriate search engine.
B) Be specific
- Use words in combinations unique to the subject you are searching.
C) Keep time on your side
D) Be flexible
- Don't be tied to one particular word or phrase. Attack your topic from different angles. Create a list of possible alternative terms or names associated with the topic and put them together in a variety of combinations.
- Use more than one search engine, even if you have a particular favorite.
E) Don't get sucked in
- Start with a list of questions you want to answer. If you have a tendency to get sidetracked, set a timer.
F) Mark your trail
- Email successful search strategies to yourself and print them out, or keep a journal of what you searched and where.
- Refrain from bookmarking everything. Bookmark only when you find yourself using a site repeatedly.
- Customize your bookmarks. Designate bookmark folders for specific topics.This organizes results so that you can return and focus on selected sites at your leisure.
G) Don't be afraid to guess
- Try different spellings of names, and using wildcards (*) to truncate where possible.
- Experiment with URLS — type in the name of the business/organization in the location text box and let the system work for you
Evaluation (Can you trust it?)
All information and sites on the Web were not created equal. The following criteria can be used to differentiate between the good, the bad, and the truly ugly:
Remember that the Web is not stable. Web sites are constantly being updated, altered and deleted. When using Web sites as source information for papers, etc. it is a good idea to print or email a copy of sites to yourself. Always note the date you used the site on the copy and when citing the source. To find out more about proper citation methods visit the Citing Electronic Sources pages [APA | MLA | Chicago/Turabian].
Criteria for Evaluating Websites
- Appearance: What is the overall impression of the site? Is it the layout well designed and professional looking? Is there a news, journal, or company banner, or other form of advertising present?
- Authority: Who wrote the page? Is the author's name listed — what is the source of the information? Do you recognize the name/source?
- Ownership: Is the site copyrighted? Are there instructions as to how the content may be used?
- Location: Check the URL (site address). Is this someone's home page? What type of domain name does it have (.edu, .org, .gov, .com, etc.)?
- Purpose/Audience: Who is the site aimed at? Is it meant to inform, or to sell something?
- Content: What is the quality of the writing? Are there obvious typos or information that is blatantly false? How does the data compare with what you have found elsewhere?
- Uniqueness: Is the information valuable, or does it duplicate what you already know? Is it worth using or re-checking at a later date?
- Currency:Is the information dated? Check for the date the page was last up-dated. If there is no date listed on the page itself, click on Page Info (under View or Communicator on your menu bar) and check the last modified date.
- Connectivity: Did you find the site through a link from another reputable source? Does the site contain links to other reputable sources?
- Reviews/Awards: Awards and positive reviews show that the page has been recognized by peer groups or information professionals.
- Stability of Content: How often is the site updated, and is the quality consistent? Will you use the site again? Good sites are candidates for bookmarking.
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Examples
The following sites all provide information on frogs, but from a variety of different perspectives. Visit and judge for yourself:
- An Introduction to the Natural History of the Frogs and Toads of Ohio
Authority: This site was created by a Ph. D. Location: Hosted by a non-profit organization (.org), and not a commercial (.com) or personal (.net) site. Purpose/Audience: To inform and educate.
- Frogweb
Ownership: This site is maintained by the National Biological Information Infrastructure. Location: It is hosted on a government server (.gov). Currency: It is updated regularly.
- "UCLA scientists discover ultrasonic communication among frogs"
Authority: This is an online press release. The author is immediately apparent, and there is a link to the newspaper in which the article appeared. Location: The site is hosted on an educational institution's server (.edu). Ownership: Copyright information appears at the bottom of the site. Currency:: The press release is dated May 8, 2009.
- The legend of the pinging frogs
Authority: This is a personal blog page. Location: Hosted by blogspot.com (.com). Content: The style of writing is not scientific, nor is the subject matter. Purpose/Audience: Entertainment. Currency: This blog entry is dated June 29, 2009.
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Frogland
Content: Care of frogs. There are a couple of typos. Purpose/Audience: Education/Entertainment of frog owners. Authority: Site owner's first name is given, but no qualifications are listed. Location: Hosted on a non-profit (.org) server. Currency: Last modified 2008.
- A Thousand Friends of Frogs
Authority: Maintained by Center for Global Environmental Education at Hamline University. Currency: Last updated 5/4/01. Purpose/Audience: Education -- K-12 educators, children, and families. Reviews/Awards: Received Nearctica's "Editor's Choice Award" and is an Internet Scout Project Kids selection.
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Applying the CRAAP Test when evaluating information.
Librarians at California State University, Chico's Meriam Library put together a one-page worksheet to use when evaluation inforamtion sources. The CRAAP Test can be used to determine if a resource is good or not.
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