| Evaluating
Information |
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As anyone can
post information on the Web, its reliability is somewhat compromised. Here
are some criteria to consider when evaluating an Internet resource.
|
Authority | Currency
| Objectivity
| Relevancy |
|
|
Authority |
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Note the URL
i.e.
the address which begins with http. You can tell from its suffix
where the site originates. Some of the most common suffixes are: |
|
.edu for an
educational institution |
.com for a commercial
site |
|
.org for an organisation |
.gov
for a government site |
|
Sites from different
countries sometimes do have their own suffixes to indicate the home
countries as well: |
|
.sg for Singapore sites |
.uk for British
sites |
|
.cn for Chinese sites |
.jp
for Japanese sites |
|
No geographic suffix normally denotes an American website.
~ in the URL usually means that the page is a
personal page put up by someone with no official affliation to the host site. |
Knowing the origin of the information will often give
you an idea of the reliability of information you have found.
Sometimes if the credibility of the author
cannot be established from the URL, look up the author of the
information. If the author is with a reputable organisation or
educational institution, this may add some credibility to the information.
Many institutional or organisational Websites include
statements about the type and source of information which is provided on
their home pages, as well as the purpose of the organisation itself. If
this information is not offered, be especially cautious with the information you
found. It is important to distinguish between
fact and opinion.
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Currency |
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Currency is taking on a new meaning in the new electronic age. On the
Internet, it is often unclear how old the information is. Copyright
dates are not always provided and updates can be erratic. Look for the statement at the bottom of the page that indicates when the
material was last updated. This gives you a clue as to its currency. On
the other hand, the latest research and information is often published
for the first time on the Web, long before it makes its way into print,
so the Internet can be an excellent source of the very latest and most
current information.
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Objectivity |
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Is the purpose of the document or information clear? This will help you
determine the validity of the information provided. Is it a scholarly
research paper posted by an academic, or a piece of propaganda intended
to present a specific point of view to persuade, or simply a personal
collection of information put up by a single individual? Be sure to find
out the intent of the author from the introductory and concluding
paragraphs, the author's credentials and also the institution that hosts
the website.
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Relevancy |
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Relevancy is more important than ever in the electronic environment.
There are millions of documents on the Web,
so choose carefully, and
don't just settle for the first thing you find or be distracted by
interesting information that is not important. Make sure the information
you are selecting is appropriate and relevant for your needs.
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