Evaluating Webpages
You Can Find Treasures Among the Junk.
Do you believe everything you read or view on the internet?
Is all this media, that you are looking at and reading, is it always true? Is it always real?
Why should I take the time to evaluate information I find on the Web?
1. You can’t be sure anyone else is doing it for you!
2. Anyone can publish on the Internet, so not all sites are equally trustworthy.
The Web is great because so many different people can contribute information. Some of the information that is found is very useful for your research papers because it is accurate, current, objective. Other information that can be found on the web is based on the person who is maintaining the webpages opinion. You must be able to recognize the difference and sift out the useful material in order to have a more accurate research paper.
Unfortunately, the picture is not from Hurricane Sandy, but rather from a tornado warning from the previous year. Originally appearing in this Wall Street Journal article, the photo was taken through a tinted window by a finance professional named Charles Menjivar.
MEDIA VOCABULARY
2. trustworthy
3. biased
CRITERIA
- Purpose: Why was it created? What is the author’s or sponsor’s point of view?
- Authority: What are the author’s credentials?
- Accuracy: Is the information provided correct?
- Currency: When was it created or last updated?
- Relevant: Does the site provide the information you need?