Module 3.2 - Safe & Reliable Internet Searches

 Safe & Reliable Internet Searches

We all expect safe and reliable sources of information when searching the Internet, but what makes one source more reliable than another? As an elementary teacher, we may provide students with a list of sites for them to collect their information. In essence, we do the searching for them. As a secondary teacher, we may warn students away from sites like Wikipedia, because, "anyone can post anything". But, how do we know if we or the students are making good choices?

Wikipedia.png

https://www.wikipedia.org Links to an external site.

 

Laptop How To Evaluate a Website - The CRAAP Test

The CRAAP Test (developed by the Meriam Library, Chico State University Links to an external site.) is a list of questions to help you evaluate the information you find. Different criteria will be more or less important depending on your situation or need.

meriam-library-logo.png

 

 

Currency: The timeliness of the information.

  • When was the information published or posted?
  • Has the information been revised or updated?
  • Does your topic require current information, or will older sources work as well?
  • Are the links functional?

Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs.

  • Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?
  • Who is the intended audience?
  • Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e. not too elementary or advanced for your needs)?
  • Have you looked at a variety of sources before determining this is the one you will use?
  • Would you be comfortable citing this source in your research paper?

Authority: The source of the information.

  • Who is the author / publisher / source / sponsor?
  • What are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations?
  • Is the author qualified to write on the topic?
  • Is there contact information, such as a publisher or email address?
  • Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source (examples: .com .edu .gov .org .net)?

Accuracy: The reliability, truthfulness and correctness of the content.

  • Where does the information come from?
  • Is the information supported by evidence?
  • Has the information been reviewed or refereed?
  • Can you verify any of the information in another source or from personal knowledge?
  • Does the language or tone seem unbiased and free of emotion?
  • Are there spelling, grammar or typographical errors?

Purpose: The reason the information exists.

  • What is the purpose of the information? Is it to inform, teach, sell, entertain or persuade?
  • Do the authors / sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear?
  • Is the information fact, opinion or propaganda?
  • Does the point of view appear objective and impartial?
  • Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional or personal biases?

 

Laptop What About Wikipedia?

Is Wikipedia Reliable?
Almost everybody knows (except most students) that Wikipedia is not considered a reliable source of information, especially for research papers. Even Wikipedia has an article addressing the Reliability of Wikipedia Links to an external site., but is Wikipedia as bad as everybody seems to think?

Wikipedia was founded in 20012 and is currently the 5th most-visited website on the Internet.3 There have been several studies and articles looking into Wikipedia's reliability. Most notably, is a 2005 peer-reviewed study by Nature, the International Weekly Journal of Science. The study found the oft-touted clam that "anyone can edit Wikipedia, so it can't be accurate" is misleading and mostly wrong. The study compared Encyclopedia Britannica to Wikipedia for factual inaccuracies. It found "among 42 entries tested, the difference in accuracy was not particularly great: the average science entry in Wikipedia contained around four inaccuracies; Britannica, about three" and "reviewers also found many factual errors, omissions or misleading statements: 162 and 123 in Wikipedia and Britannica, respectively."4 

wikipedia writing.jpg

File: Circle reflect wikipedia.jpg 1

 

1 Circle reflect wikipedia.jpg Links to an external site., CC BY-SA 3.0 Links to an external site., Accessed 10/30/2017
2 "Wikipedia - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia Links to an external site.. Accessed 31 Oct. 2017.
3 "Top Sites - Alexa." https://www.alexa.com/topsites Links to an external site.. Accessed 31 Oct. 2017.
4 "Internet encyclopaedias go head to head : Article : Nature." 14 Dec. 2005, https://www.nature.com/articles/438900a Links to an external site.. Accessed 31 Oct. 2017.