Computer+Concepts+11

How Reliable is a web page? - period 11
1. Who is the author? On the page you are citing, or on a page linked to it that individual or organization should be identified, that individual's qualifications should be apparent, and other avenues of verification should be open to you. (http://www.mhhe.com/mayfieldpub/webtutor/judging.htm) 2. Is it often updated? Is this page a "zombie," or one considered "walking dead" because the person who posted it no longer maintains or updates it? Even though the information is "alive" in that it is still accessible, it is "dead" in that it could well be several years old! **(http://www.mhhe.com/mayfieldpub/webtutor/judging.htm)** 3. Is the page organized? Is the page easy to navigate? Is it complete? When was the page last updated? Is the information on it current? How credible are the links it provides? **(http://www.mhhe.com/mayfieldpub/webtutor/judging.htm)** 4. Are there other sites that say similar things? Finally, remember that even though a page might not meet your standards as a citable source, it may help you generate good ideas** or point to other usable sources. Also, be sure not to stop your search at the first page you find--shop around and do some comparing so that you can have points of reference. (http://www.mhhe.com/mayfieldpub/webtutor/judging.htm) 5. Is the URL reliable? If it is .gov or .org then it will be reliable because they can only be made by the governmental or educational resources. (http://tools.devshed.com/c/a/Online-Business-Help/Signs-Of-A-Reliable-Web-Site/) 6. Is the website written from a neutral point of view? If the website is written about a cigarette by a tobacco company then it will most likely be written in a positive point of view about the cigarette. The neutral point of view is a means of dealing with conflicting verifiable perspectives on a topic as evidenced by reliable sources. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NPOV#The_neutral_point_of_view

These sites will help you to discover whether or not a site is reliable. http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/find/index.html http://chnm.gmu.edu/resources/essays/d/7 http://www.networksolutions.com/home.jsp?layoutIdIndex=2