Download 3-Evaluation

Internet Research
Evaluating Information
People are seeking information
• Statistics show steady increases
each year in the number of
people using the Internet to
seek information.
• They seek information on
hugely important subjects, from
health to voting to investing
their money.
People are making decisions
• People then are using that
information to make
decisions.
• They are making decisions
about vacations, health,
work, travel, voting and
other subjects -- all based
on what they find on the
Internet.
Evaluation is crucial
• So people are finding
information from the
Internet and making
important decisions.
• But what if the
information is wrong?
• Evaluation is crucial.
Dangers include:
• Outdated information
• Inaccuracies and errors
• Hate sites and malicious
“misinformation”
• Disguised marketing at
product sites
• Biased opinions portrayed
as fact
A Google search for:
• Cancer will get you some drug and
pharmacy sites
• Nutrition will get you some food and
industry sites
• Martin Luther King will get you some racist
sites
• Investing will get you some stock broker
sites
Criteria for Evaluation: SCOPE
• Five criteria can help you evaluate
information on the Internet
• Signatory: who is the publisher?
• Currency: is the site updated and timely?
• Objective: is the site opinionated, biased?
• Purpose: what is the site’s purpose?
• Evidence: is the site accurate, verified?
Signatory
• Is the author or publisher
clearly named on the site?
• What are the author’s
qualifications for writing or
posting the site?
• Does the author provide
biographical experience?
• Is the author an authority?
Currency
• Is the information
timely?
• Does the content of
the work seem up-todate?
• Is the publication date
clearly indicated?
Objective
• How objective is the
information?
• Is the information
presented with bias or
a strong point of view?
• To what extent is the
information trying to
sway the opinion of
the audience?
Purpose
• What type of page is it?
• What is the purpose of
the site?
• What are the goals or
aims?
• To inform? To convince
you? To sell you a
product?
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Types of Page
Advocacy
Business/Marketing
Informational
News
Personal
Entertainment
Evidence
• How accurate does the
information appear the
site?
• Is their evidence
presented?
• Does the information
or coverage seem
complete?
• Are there references?
Caveat Emptor
• “Let the buyer beware”
• Information is readily
available on the Internet.
• It is up to the buyer – or
user – to check that
information.
• Use the SCOPE criteria to
evaluate information on
the Internet