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Pollak Library

Project Rebound: Websites

This is a guide for students, staff, and faculty who are part of Project Rebound.

Evaluating Websites

Which website would you trust?

http://bit.ly/1g6rPk4               http://bit.ly/9WbEfQ      

http://bit.ly/1rjkldT                http://bit.ly/1zfNr7Q  

http://bit.ly/1lXyRVY             http://bit.ly/1i4rr2J                  

Wikipedia             American Fact Finder       Youtube

Yahoo Answers    Library Answers               PollakLibrary Youtube

Ask yourself the following questions when evaluating websites:

  • Is the author an authority or expert on the subject?  Are they credible?
  • What is the author's agenda?  Do they have a bias? Are they trying to sell an idea or product?  
  • Who is sponsoring the site? What does the URL tell you?  nonprofit (.org), governmental (.gov)
  • What is the purpose of the site?  To sell something? To inform? 
  • Who is the intended audience for the site?
  • Do they use evidence to support fact claims, ideas, or opinions?
  • Is the information current?

Rockwell painting, "now son, do you know what you did wrong?"

http://factitious.augamestudio.com/#/     

"Now son, do you know what you did wrong?"  "Yes sir, I shared something on Facebook without checking facts & encouraged bullshit to propagate, leading to the dumbing-down of humanity."

CRAAP Criteria

The CRAAP Criteria:

  • Currency
  • Relevance
  • Authority
  • Accuracy
  • Purpose

 

Light-hearted review of the CRAAP method

 

How to Avoid Alternative News

Break down of news sources

12 Dec 2016 in Culture, Design, Ethics, Journalism, Media, Rhetoric

Chart credited to Vanessa Otero

​List of news sources ranked from left (liberal) to right (conservative) by reliability.

Questionable: Natural News, Addicting Info, Occupy Democrats, U.S. Uncut, Huffington Post, Infowars, DailyCaller, Fox News, Red State, Blaze.

Reliable: AP, Reuters, ABC news, NBC news, New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, NPR, BBC, The Hill, The Economist, The Guardian, The Atlantic.

Websites

 

government

Government Websites – site:.gov

  • Federal, state, and local government information
  • Statistics and demographics
  • Government reports

.gov search

education websitesAcademic Websites – site:.edu

  • University and college websites
  • Academic departments
  • Research reports

.edu search

professional organizations

Professional & Nonprofit Websites – site:.org

  • Professional associations
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Research reports & statistics

.org search