Exercise on Evaluating Web Sites
The following web sites were found via Google searches. Look at them quickly and answer the following questions:
Electronic Wastes (e-waste)
Who is the author of this article and what are her/his credentials?
Where is the information coming from? What are the sources?
Do you think the information is reliable? Why or why not?
2) California Department of Toxic Substances Control
Does the content cover several topics minimally or one topic in detail?
Does the site provide documentation for the information provided?
Does the site provide additional links that are useful?
3) Al Jazeera: In Pictures: Ghan’s E-Waste Magnet
What in the purpose of this site?
Do you think the information is reliable? Why or why not?
Would you use the information on this site for a research paper? Why or why not?
4) Go to Google Scholar and search for: electronic waste. Chose one article and answer the following questions.
Who is the author of this article and what are her/his credentials?
Where is the information coming from? What are the sources?
Is this a scholarly article? Why or why not?
Would you use the information from this article in a research paper? Why or why not?
Net Neutrality
1) Federal Communications Commission
Who is responsible for the information on this site - an individual or an organization?
Are all sides of an issue represented, or is this site biased?
Would you use the information on this site for a research paper? Why or why not?
2) The ACLU Answers the Key Questions
What is the purpose of this site?
Where is the information coming from? What are the sources?
Do you think the information is reliable? Why or why not?
3) Wired: What Everyone Gets Wrong in the Debate Over Net Neutrality
What is the purpose of this site?
Who is the author of this article and what are his credentials?
Would you use the information on this site for a research paper? Why or why not?
4) Go to Google Scholar and search for: net neutrality. Chose one article and answer the following questions.
Who is the author of this article and what are her/his credentials?
Where is the information coming from? What are the sources?
Is this a scholarly article? Why or why not?
Would you use the information from this article in a research paper? Why or why not?
Surveillance Technology and Privacy Rights
1) NSA Reports to the President’s Intelligence Oversight Board
Who is responsible for the information on this site - an individual or an organization?
Do you think the information is reliable? Why or why not?
Would you use the information on this site for a research paper? Why or why not?
2) Electronic Frontier Foundation: NSA Spying on Americans
Who is the Electronic Frontier Foundation? What's the mission of this organization?
Does the site provide additional links that are useful?
Would you use the information from this article in a research paper? Why or why not?
3) ACLU: Rein in the Surveillance State
Where is the information coming from? What are the sources?
Are all sides of an issue represented, or is this site biased?
Would you use the information on this site for a research paper? Why or why not?
4) Go to Google Scholar and search for: nsa privacy. Chose one article and answer the following questions.
Who is the author of this article and what are her/his credentials?
Where is the information coming from? What are the sources?
Is this a scholarly article? Why or why not?
Would you use the information from this article in a research paper? Why or why not?
Copyright Protection and Intellectual Property
1) RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America): The Law
Who is the RIAA? What's the mission of this organization?
Do you think the information is reliable? Why or why not?
Would you use the information from this article in a research paper? Why or why not?
2) Douglas Yeo
Who is the author of this article and what are his credentials?
Where is the information coming from? What are the sources?
Is this a scholarly article? Why or why not?
Would you use the information on this site for a research paper? Why or why not?
Was the information recently published? If not, has it been updated or revised?
Where is the information coming from? What are the sources?
Would you use the information from this article in a research paper? Why or why not?
4) Go to Google Scholar and search for: copyright music. Chose one article and answer the following questions.
Who is the author of this article and what are her/his credentials?
Where is the information coming from? What are the sources?
Is this a scholarly article? Why or why not?
Would you use the information from this article in a research paper? Why or why not?