Evaluating+Websites

There are many points that needed to be taken into account when you evaluate a website. There are several different types of websites and there are five different things that you have to look when you are trying to take into account whether the website is credible or not. It is very easy to be fooled if you are not properly educated on finding good websites. Listed below are types of websites, the things you have to look for in a website, a sample website evaluation, and a section addressing the importance of avoiding plagiarism.

For more information: [|Cornell Library:] - This is a website sponsored by Cornell University that goes more in depth about what to look for in specific types of sources. [|Drexel University Library:] - This website is sponsored by Drexel University and goes into the 7 types of websites and the 5 criteria needed to make a credible website. [|Ohio State University Library:] - This is a website sponsored by Ohio State University. It gives a more broad description of what you need to be a credible website, but includes more requirements to be listed as a credible website.

Avoiding Plagiarism:

Avoiding plagiarism is a very important thing to keep in mind when you are doing research. If you fail to do so, the repercussions are very steep. Depending on the setting you were researching for, you can be sent to jail, fined, kicked out of school, or fired from your job. The information below informs you on the types of plagiarism and how to avoid them. The presentation is by Kaci Stern, Addie Scott, and Allana Wiley. media type="custom" key="24477138"


 * Plagiarism is the deliberate use of work that is not entirely yours and does not include a proper citation
 * Common forms of plagiarism include mashup, 404-error, re--tweet, and CTRL-C
 * some strategies to avoid plagiarism include citing your quotes, paraphrasing, referencing, and quoting
 * It is important to always cite work, even if it is your own previous work
 * careers and education can be destroyed if you are caught plagiarizing
 * In some cases, it is a federal offense
 * When in doubt, it never hurts to cite too much
 * For any more in-depth information, see the presentation above

Evaluating a Website:

The first thing you want to determine is what type of website you are on. There are seven different types of websites:
 * 1) Advocacy: attempt to change your opinion on a topic.
 * 2) Commercial: attempt to sell you a service or product.
 * 3) Informational: provides the reader with factual information that has been proven by multiple sources.
 * 4) Entertainment: attempt to provide amusement to its viewers.
 * 5) Educational: try to sell you something.
 * 6) News: provide information regarding current events in different view(local, state, national, international).
 * 7) Personal: provides the reader with biased information that cannot be proven. Usually is interactive.

There are also 5 different criteria a website must meet to be credible. The five things are:


 * 1) Authority: Who is responsible for the information, what qualifies them to write about it and where can they be contacted for help?
 * 2) Accuracy: Information is free of error, is correctly cited, includes good quality links, and was obtained using good research methods.
 * 3) Objectivity: Is the information strictly factual, are both viewpoints weighed equally, and does the cite have an alterior motive.
 * 4) Currency: When was the website created and how often has it been updated since its creation?
 * 5) Coverage: Is the site devoted to only one topic, is there an index covering the range of information, an who is the intended audience?

Example of Evaluating Websites:

This is a sample of how to do a website evaluation. It covers what you should look for in the websites you choose. It also gives you information about what a good website is like, and lastly it provides you with 2 websites that devote themselves to educating you about Wilt Chamberlain. One is more credible then the other, and you will see evidence of it in the presentation

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Copyright and Fair Use: media type="custom" key="24867368"

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This presentation discusses the basics of the definition of copyright. It goes into detail about what can and cannot be copied and what copyright laws protect the owner of the original work from. This presentation also discusses fair use, which is a factor taken into account when deciding if something has been copyrighted. Fair use basically is a basis of why you are using the work in question. Listed below are my own personal notes taken from the presentation. This presentation was created by Ben Potter, Trevor Ramsey, and David Shenofsky.=====


 * //Concept of protection for work that is made by an individual//
 * //Creator has choice of who can see it//
 * //They have power to make different version from the original//
 * //Things covered by copyright include literary work, musical or dramatic works, graphic works, sound recordings, and architectural works//
 * //Copyright does not cover things such as name or title//
 * //Use of copyright symbol is now optional//
 * //Derivative work includes things such as turning a book into a movie//
 * //First sale doctrine does not allow reproduction, but does allow reselling//
 * //Public domain is not subjected to copyright//
 * //Plagiarism is the act of presenting other's ideas as your own.//
 * //Copyright infringement infringe the copyright holder's rights such as reproduction or distribution//