Evaluating Internet
sites:
There are many quality web
sites that contain information of interest to theater majors. However, the
Internet will contains may sites which are essentially advertisements. The
goal of many pages is to sell the reader something, be it theater tickets,
music, scripts or equipment. The Internet contains also information which
may not be true, may be biased or useless to the researcher. When using
information from the Internet you will need to act as the reviewer since there
are no rules governing what can be published. A few rules to keep in mind
when looking at Internet web sites are:
Authority, Objectivity, Accuracy, Currency, Content/Relevancy,
Aesthetics.
AUTHORITY
- Is there an author or sponsoring body (organization,
company) and is the name of the author or sponsoring body listed?
- Are the author's) qualifications or credentials
listed?
- Is contact information (e-mail, address, or phone
number) included?
- Is the listed name different from the "Webmaster"?
- Where is the document published? Check the URL
domain (.edu, .org, .com, .gov).
OBJECTIVITY
- Has the author or organization clearly stated the
goals and/or aims of the site? (The Web often functions as a virtual
soapbox).
- If objectivity is important, is the information
presented in an objective manner?
- Is a particular point of view being presented?
- Is there a bias, either explicit or implied?
- Is the information presented free of advertising? If
there is advertising, is it clearly differentiated from the informational
content?
- Is this an "Infomercial" Web page? (On the
Web, the distinction between advertising and information can easily become
blurred).
ACCURACY
- If facts and figures are given, are they accurate?
Are the sources for any factual information clearly listed?
- Can they be verified in another source?
- How does this information compare with other sources
of information on this topic?
CURRENCY
- When was the page produced?
- When was it last updated?
- Is any information on the page outdated?
- Are the links up-to-date? Are there references to
sites which have moved?
CONTENT/RELEVANCY
- Does the page meet your research needs or purpose?
- Is the subject adequately covered?
- Are the links (if any) evaluated/annotated and do
they complement the page's theme?
- If other sources are quoted, is the information
accurately cited?
- Is all the information on the site free, or is there
a fee to link to some or all of the information?
AESTHETICS
- Is there an appropriate balance between text and
images?
- Is the design of the page visually appealing or is
it too cluttered?
- Is there an option for text only, or frames, or a
suggested browser for better viewing?
- If page requires special software to view the
information, how much are you missing if you don't have the software?
Citing Web
Sites:
Just as you would for any other source
used in research pages, you must site the web page which you have used in the
bibliography. Exactly how you will cite the page varies greatly depending
on the style guide that your professor required the class to use. If you
are not sure as to exactly which style guide to use and it is not listed in the
sylabus, check with your professor. Below you will find listed a web page
of links to online style manuals. There is also a copy of all the of
commonly used style guides kept at the Reference Desk of Pollak Library.
-
How do I...Cite Sources
This is a web site that links to a number of methods of
citation for web sites.
- Electronic Styles:
Handbook for Citing Electronic Information Kept at the Reference Desk.
- MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing.
Kept at the reference Desk.
- Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association. Kept at the Reference Desk.
- Columbia Guide to Online Style. Kept at the
Reference Desk.
- A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, These, and
Dissertations by Turabian, kept at the Reference Desk.
- Chicago Manual of Style, kept at the Reference Desk
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| This site is prepared
and maintained by Cynthia Bruns, Reference Librarian, Pollak Library,
California State University Fullerton, Last updated:10/24/05 |
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