““Information is often Information is often published on the Web which published on the Web which no serious publisher would no serious publisher would

touch.”touch.”

Craig Branham, Saint Louis UniversityCraig Branham, Saint Louis University

“…“…a generation of intellectual a generation of intellectual sluggards incapable of sluggards incapable of

moving beyond the Internet” moving beyond the Internet” [is] being produced at [is] being produced at

universities.”universities.”

Michael Gorman, former president of the Michael Gorman, former president of the American Library AssociationAmerican Library Association

““I always go straight to I always go straight to Google.”Google.”

77thth Grade Honors Student Grade Honors Student

GeneralGeneralAlexaAlexa Internet Internet Ask.comAsk.com (formerly (formerly

Ask Jeeves) Ask Jeeves) BaiduBaidu (Chinese) (Chinese) ExaleadExalead (French) (French) GigablastGigablast GoogleGoogle Live SearchLive Search (formerly (formerly

MSN Search) MSN Search) SogouSogou (Chinese) (Chinese) SohuSohu (Chinese) (Chinese) WikiaWikia Search Search Yahoo! SearchYahoo! Search

Geographical limited Geographical limited scopescopeAccoona, , China//US Alleba, , Philippines Ansearch, , Australia//US//UK//NZ Araby, , Middle East Baidu, , China Daum, , Korea Guruji.com, , India Goo (search engine), , Japan Miner.hu, , Hungary Najdi.si, , Slovenia Naver, , Korea Onkosh, , Middle East Rambler, , Russia Rediff, , India SAPO, , Portugal Search.ch, , Switzerland Sesam, Norway, Sweden , Norway, Sweden Walla!, Israel Walla!, Israel Yandex, RussiaYandex, Russia

Google is probably the Google is probably the largest Search Enginelargest Search Engine

Ask.com has access to Ask.com has access to 2 billion “web objects”2 billion “web objects”

Yahoo has over 20 billion Yahoo has over 20 billion

““web objects” in its databaseweb objects” in its database

About 80% of the web About 80% of the web pages in a search engine’s pages in a search engine’s database exits only in that database exits only in that

database. database.

So, get a So, get a second opinion!second opinion!

Google interprets a link from page A to Google interprets a link from page A to page B as a vote, by page A, for page page B as a vote, by page A, for page B. But, Google looks at more than the B. But, Google looks at more than the

sheer volume of votes, or links a sheer volume of votes, or links a page receives; it also analyzes the page receives; it also analyzes the

page that casts the vote. Votes cast page that casts the vote. Votes cast by pages that are themselves by pages that are themselves

"important" weigh more heavily and "important" weigh more heavily and help to make other pages help to make other pages

"important". "important".

From Wikipedia, Search Term: Page Rank

Results 1 - 10 of about 8,450,000 for periodic table [definition]. (0.13 seconds) 

Results 1 - 10 of about 778,000 for human chromosomes. (0.17 seconds) 

Results 1 - 10 of about 26,700,000 for scientific method [definition]. (0.07 seconds) 

Results 1 - 10 of about 68,200,000 for shakespeare [definition]. (0.07 seconds) 

Results 1 - 10 of about 20,000,000 for american revolution [definition]. (0.12 seconds) 

Results 1 - 10 of about 45,800,000 for american idol. (0.10 seconds) 

Personalized Results 1 - 10 of about 151 for kevin stiegelmaier. (0.32 seconds) 

““It says right up front that ANYONE It says right up front that ANYONE can edit it, which includes dopes, can edit it, which includes dopes, idiots, and liars. In other words, idiots, and liars. In other words, worth a look, but all taken with a worth a look, but all taken with a

grain of salt.”grain of salt.”

Username “Jerseyrich” in online Username “Jerseyrich” in online discussion about using discussion about using

Wikipedia for information. Wikipedia for information.

““For god’s sake, you’re in For god’s sake, you’re in college; don’t cite the college; don’t cite the

encyclopedia.”encyclopedia.”

Jimmy WalesJimmy Wales

Founder, WikipediaFounder, Wikipedia

Jenny Fry, Oxford Research InstituteJenny Fry, Oxford Research Institute

““You cannot say children are You cannot say children are intellectually lazy because they are intellectually lazy because they are

using the Internet when academics are using the Internet when academics are using search engines in their research," using search engines in their research,"

she said. "The difference is that they she said. "The difference is that they have more experience of being critical have more experience of being critical about what is retrieved and whether it about what is retrieved and whether it is authoritative. Children need to be is authoritative. Children need to be

told how to use the Internet in a critical told how to use the Internet in a critical and appropriate way."and appropriate way."

http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/ http://www.dhmo.org/http://www.dhmo.org/ http://www.thepregnancytester.com/http://www.thepregnancytester.com/ http://petalgae.com/http://petalgae.com/

CriteriaCriteria 33 22 11

Web AddressWeb Address Its address includes Its address includes a .gov, .org, .mil, .museua .gov, .org, .mil, .museum, .edum, .edu

Its address includes Its address includes a .com, .int, .biz, .info, .proa .com, .int, .biz, .info, .pro

Its address includes Its address includes a .net, .name, .coopa .net, .name, .coop

AuthorityAuthority A real author is listed, and A real author is listed, and can be easily contactedcan be easily contacted

An author is listed but An author is listed but does not appear to be an does not appear to be an expert on the material. He expert on the material. He or she cannot be easily or she cannot be easily contacted.contacted.

No author is listed at all.No author is listed at all.

CurrencyCurrency The site is up to date.The site is up to date. The site has not been The site has not been updated in a while.updated in a while.

It is not clear the last time It is not clear the last time the site was updated.the site was updated.

LinksLinks Useable links are given, Useable links are given, which bring you to other which bring you to other accurate sites.accurate sites.

Links are given. However, Links are given. However, many of those links do not many of those links do not work or send you to an work or send you to an unreliable site.unreliable site.

Little or no links are given.Little or no links are given.

AdvertisingAdvertising No advertisements are No advertisements are visible.visible.

The site contains some The site contains some ads.ads.

The site has more ads The site has more ads than information.than information.

Images and PhotosImages and Photos The source for all pictures The source for all pictures and diagrams is given.and diagrams is given.

Some pictures and Some pictures and diagrams have sources.diagrams have sources.

No sources for images are No sources for images are given.given.

Common SenseCommon Sense The site appears to be The site appears to be accurate, professional, accurate, professional, and reliable.and reliable.

There are some things There are some things about the site that do not about the site that do not appear to be accurate, appear to be accurate, professional, or reliable. It professional, or reliable. It may still be useful though.may still be useful though.

The site does not seem to The site does not seem to be accurate, professional, be accurate, professional, or reliable at all.or reliable at all.

Work CitedWork Cited1)1) Branham, Craig. St Louis University “A Student’s Guide to Research With the WWW”. Branham, Craig. St Louis University “A Student’s Guide to Research With the WWW”.

www.slu.edu/departments/english/researchwww.slu.edu/departments/english/research

2)2) Q.U.I.C.K. “The Quality Information Checklist”.Q.U.I.C.K. “The Quality Information Checklist”.www.quick.ork.uk/menu.htmwww.quick.ork.uk/menu.htm

3)3) Terdiman, Daniel. “Study: Wikipedia as Accurate as Britannica”.Terdiman, Daniel. “Study: Wikipedia as Accurate as Britannica”.www.news.cnet.comwww.news.cnet.com, December 15, 2005., December 15, 2005.

4)4) U.C. Berkeley Library. “Finding Information on the Internet: A Tutorial”. U.C. Berkeley Library. “Finding Information on the Internet: A Tutorial”. www.lib.berkeley.edu/teachinglib/Guides/Internet/SearchEngines.htmlwww.lib.berkeley.edu/teachinglib/Guides/Internet/SearchEngines.html

5)5) Wikipedia. Search Term: “Search Engines”. Wikipedia. Search Term: “Search Engines”. www.wikipedia.comwww.wikipedia.com, Last modified June 5, 2008, Last modified June 5, 2008

6)6) Young, Jeffrey R. “Wikipedia Founder Discourages Academic Uses of His Creation”.Young, Jeffrey R. “Wikipedia Founder Discourages Academic Uses of His Creation”.http://http://chronicle.comchronicle.com, June 12, 2006., June 12, 2006.