Proper Sources The URL Check reliabilityvalidity What is

Proper Sources

The URL: (Check reliability/validity) �What is the Web site’s domain? �. com = for-profit organization �. gov, . mil, . us (or other country code) = a government site �. edu = an educational institution �. org = a nonprofit organization �Which of these is the weakest when it comes to reliability? �Which is the strongest? �Is this URL a professional or personal page? You wouldn’t use facebook to cite sources, so why would you use a personal page?

�Sponsor: (Check objectivity/subjectivity) �What organization or group sponsors the Web page? �If it has a link (often called “About Us”) that leads you to that information, what can you learn about the sponsor? �Why is it important to know who sponsors a webpage?

Timeliness: (Check reliability and relevance) �When was the page last updated (usually posted at the top or bottom of the page)? �A current date usually means the information is up-to -date. �Why is checking the date relevant when doing research?

Purpose: (Check validity) �What is the purpose of the page? �Who is the target audience? �Does the page present information or opinion? Is the information objective or subjective? How do you know?

Author/Publisher: (Check authority) �Who publishes this page? If you don’t know, try to find out whether the publisher is an expert on the topic. �What credentials does the author have? �Is this person or group considered an authority on the topic? How do you know? �I’m looking at you Wikipedia….

Links: (Check validity, reliability, authority, objectivity) �Does the page provide links that work? �Do the links go to authoritative sources? �Are they objective or subjective? What can you tell from the links provided?