Bright Ideas: Internet Research

National History Day Workshop

Herbert Hoover Presidential Library

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.

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•Currency - IS this current or out-of-date?

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

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

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

IS this current or out-of-date?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

Review

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 • Currency - IS this current or out-of-date?

The MOST IMPORTANT question you should ask

when conducting any historical research

This applies to any source:

books, websites, documents, photos, videos, sound recordings...

The MOST IMPORTANT question you should ask

when conducting any historical research

WHY is this important?

Getting Started

http://www.nationalhistoryday.org

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/

http://hoover.archives.gov

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