the real thing? evaluating websites

When I receive information, I usually. . .

•assume the author is an expert.

•accept that the information is true.

OR do I . . .

consult a credible source to verify the author’s claims/facts.

A statement of fact can be proven by credible evidence.

Personal opinion: Statement of belief or feeling. It shows one's feelings about a subject

Know Your Personal Biases

Do I tend to look at things as either: “right/wrong” OR “good/bad” ?

Know Your Personal Biases

•Insecurity

•Fear

•Ignorance

•Peer/Family influence

How to Know a Reliable Site

• What type of website is it?

• Who is behind the website?

• Is the information supported with verifiable evidence?

What type of website?

•promoting an opinion or political agenda•selling a service or product•offering tips/advice•blogs•governmental •scholarly article•Wikipedia-type site

Top Level Domains

•Products, Services, Ideas, Agendas (.org, .com)

•Non-profits (.org, .edu)

•Scholarly/educational (.edu, .org)

•Popular press (.com, .org)

•Governmental (.gov, .mil)

•Personal (.com, .edu, .net)

Author: Who’s Behind the Website?

Who pays for the site?

Who maintains the site?

Who writes the information?

Check to see if site provides an identifying link:

“About Us”

“Who We Are”

“Mission Statement”

Definition:

credentials: the education, work, or other experience

that qualifies an individual to address a particular topic.

Do You Want Friend or an Expert?

Reliable site: an authoritative, balanced, and accurate source whose claims can be verified.

Definition:

Definition:

to verify: to determine the accuracy of a statement, fact, or statistic

Unsupported Statements

Student’s claim: According to Ebreastaug.com, Americans spent $12 billion on cosmetic surgery (ebreastaub.com).

Cited source:

Supported Statements

Revised claim: “In 2005, Americans spent approximately $8 billion on surgeons’ fees for cosmetic medical treatments (ASAPS, 2006).”

Cited source: American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Cosmetic Surgery National Data Bank—2005 Statistics. New York, NY: ASAPS, 2006.

Supported Statements

Student discovered statistical source in the following article:

Sarwer, D. “Physical Appearance & Cosmetic Medical Treatments: Socio-Cultural Influences.” Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology

2 (2006): 29-39.

Verifying Sources

Check credentials of author:

Listed in library databases?

Academic Search Elite

Reliability of Author: Credentials

Is author the subject of internet chatter?

Google the author’s name

How to Tell a Reliable Site

• What type of website is it?

• Who is behind the website?

• Is the information supported with verifiable evidence?

Sorting Personal Opinions from Factual Statements