Research Methods & Evaluation for the Internet Generation Jane Long MLIS, University of Oklahoma MA, English, Wright State University Reference Services Librarian Al Harris Library

The Internet is… a worldwide collection of computer networks a major presence in our daily lives constantly growing and making an enormous amount of information available

Web Searching is easy because….. Speed Choice Availability 24/7 We always get an answer

Web searching is difficult because … Organization Quality control Reliability

Anatomy of a URL Take a look at Letterman in 1995: Bill Gates and The Quiz Machine

There are many outstanding Internet sources that are available for our use, but….. How can we make decisions regarding the appropriateness of various web sites? How do we learn to make good selections regarding information that is available??

Web Evaluation Techniques Domain name appropriate for the content ? Restricted: edu, gov, mil, a few country codes (ca) Unrestricted: com, org, net, most country codes (us, uk)

Domain Names Does evaluation help us make choices regarding a site? Whois.net – –This website gives us information about the owner of sites..gov.org.mil.com.edu.net.int Indicates a reliable domain name

Web Evaluation Techniques Is the information published by an entity that makes sense ? News from its source? Advice from valid agency?

Remember to Evaluate!!! Authority –Who created it? Who is responsible? –What credentials do they hold? What makes them qualified to discuss the topic? Accuracy –Can the information be verified? –Check the facts! Objectivity –How is the information being presented? –Is it objective or biased? What’s the point of view? Currency (important based on subject) –When was it published? –When was it last updated?

Step 1: Authority Web Pages – Credentials/Qualifications/Reputation – Who is responsible for content? Webmaster? Web team? Organization? Institution? Company?

Step 1: Authority: Questions 1. Do you recognize the author's name? Is there an author's name? 2.If you don't recognize the name, or there is no name, what type of information is given about the contact information? - Position? - Organizational affiliation? - address? - Biographical information?

Step 2: Accuracy Web Pages –Can the information be verified? Links to credible sites Copyright Works Cited Fact check with a printed source

Step 2: Accuracy: QuestionsAccuracy 1.Does the website cite sources used to present its information? What type of sources are they? Scholarly? Popular? 2.Is it possible to verify the legitimacy of these sources? 3.If the site is research-based, does the website clearly identify the method of research and the data gathered?

Step 3: Objectivity Biased or Objective? Sponsoring Organization Agendas Political Propaganda Web hosting Do you trust the author or organization providing the information?

Step 3: Objectivity: Questions Do you trust the author or organization providing the information? Determine the aim of the author or organization publishing the site. What is the purpose of the web site? 1. Is it advertisement for a product or service? 2. Is it directed toward political purposes? 3. Is it trying to sway public opinion on a social issue?

Step 4: CurrencyCurrency Web Pages –When was it created and last updated? Well maintained web sites have an indication when it was last updated or modified Accessibility –Dead links Stability –Changes URLs frequently

Step 4: Currency: Questions 1. Is a date clearly displayed? 2. Can you determine what the date refers to? When the page was first written? When the page was first posted on the Internet? When the page was last revised or updated? The copyright date? 3. Are the resources used by the author current? 4. Does the page content demand routine or continual updating or revision? 5. Do the links on the page point to the correct Internet site addresses?

Evaluation Is Essential Look at how things have changed regarding the information we have available for our use. Did You Know?

Web Evaluation Tools Alexa Search the URL in Alexa -- Click on “Site info for …” Who links to the site? Who owns the domain? What did the site look like in the past? (use the “Wayback Machine” link)“Wayback Machine”

Known for providing information on web traffic

Exercise: Evaluation Handoutt Institute for Historical Review – Pinehearst Inc. – Southern Poverty Law Center – Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu – Harry Ransom Center – American University for the Humanities –

Google Larry Page & Sergey Brin/ Grad Students 1998 Mission: "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful.“ 2008: 157 billion dollar corporation

GoogleGoogle: Improve Your Searches Site Specific Command What it does: searches only specific domains What to type: nursing jobs site:edu nursing jobs site:com nursing jobs site:org

Web vs. Library Databases Web –Good for current events –Statistical Information –Pop Culture –Opinion –Information about Organizations & Groups Library Databases –Research Based Books & Articles –Full-text Resources –Authoritative & Peer- reviewed Materials –Information about People & Cultures –Easier to Search AND, OR, NOT Specific Subjects

Google Scholar provides a simple way to search for scholarly literature. The search crosses many disciplines and sources--peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, abstracts and articles--from academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories, universities and other scholarly organizations.

Works best for Citations Restrictions to Content –Now included in SWOSU’s list of databases –We’re working on improving access –Example: Greening Community Resources Google Scholar

Wikipedia Wiki: A Web application that allows users to add content to a collaborative hypertext Web resource (coauthoring), as in an Internet forum, and permits others to edit that content (open editing).

Wikipedia Jimmy Wales January 15, 2001 No Original Research NPOV (Neutral point of view) No owners, multiple anonymous authors Anyone with Internet access can create or edit an entry…Anyone

Wikipedia Contributors: male, English speaking, denizens of the Internet. Problem is not that it disregards the facts, but that it elevates them above all else. Most of the content is discussion/history of edits & not the entries themselves. Most active 1% of editors make 55% of changes. Number of new articles peaked in 2007 at around 60,000. As of 2009, better attempts are being made regarding the control of inaccuracies. Rosenzweig, Roy. “Can History Be Open Source? Wikipedia and the Future of the Past.” Journal of American History 93.1 (2006): Print. Landgraf, Greg. “Wikipedia Growth Slows.” American Libraries Nov. 2009: 27. Print.

What does this mean when it comes to research? Here is what Wikipedia has to say about using WikipediaWikipedia as a source for research

Writing Your Paper Writing Center –Located in the basement of the library –Call for appointment # MLA Style –Style Sheets and LibGuide –MLA Handbook at Reference & Circulation Desk –

 Contact me: Jane Long Questions? To help us improve our instruction please take the following survey at the end of today's class—June 21, 2010: Click here to take the surveyClick here to take the survey

Thank you!