inter2

INTERNET RESEARCH EXERCISE
DUE: April 13

20 points

OVERVIEW - EVALUATING INTERNET SOURCES

One of the most important aspects of historical research is evaluating one's sources. This is especially important when dealing with secondary sources where someone else is analyzing and interpreting historical information for the reader. The questions you need to ask yourself as you look at internet material are:

Do you know who wrote the material? Does that person have the necessary academic background so that you trust their presentation and interpretation(s)?
Is the information being presented objective, or is there a clear bias?
Does the author have a certain position s/he is trying to push, or are you as the reader given enough objective information to make your own conclusions?
Is the story being told balanced - trying to present different sides or interpretations - or is there obviously only one viewpoint being emphasized?

The best sources are those that are balanced - information that lets the reader draw the final conclusions. The closer a source is to being objective - where the author is not trying to promote only one viewpoint - the more reliable the source.

The reliability and objectivity of sources are especially important when one is looking at information on the web. Since there is no librarian or editor to filter out bad or unreliable sources, the responsibility is entirely on you as the reader to figure out whether what you are looking at on your computer is a reliable, academically based interpretation, or just someone spouting online! Since anyone can post up on the web - you have to evaluate very carefully the source and caliber of the information you are reading.

As a general rule (there are exceptions), if the web site comes from an academic institution like a university, library, or museum, then you can have greater confidence in the source. Also, if the author of the information is clearly indicated, and that author has historical credentials, again, the information is more reliable. However, if the source is some person's homepage, and the author has no apparent credentials, that material and its value is much more questionable.

For further tips on how to evaluate the Internet, go to a very thorough and clear essay on this topic. This will help you with this assignment - and for the rest of your life as a web surfer!!

Go to Essay on Evaluating Sources on the Internet

ASSIGNMENT

For this exercise, you need to look at different historical sources on the web covering the time period of this course (1500- present). Evaluate how reliable they are in terms of balance and objectivity.

1. You need to identify 3 sites that you think are reliable sources, and explain your reasoning behind these choices.

2. You need to identify 3 sites/sources that are not useful as historical sites, because the information and/or the interpretation is biased or of questionable authority.

For all 6 sites, you need to include the following information:

a) identify the URL/web address of each site, and briefly describe the kind of material/information on each website (at least a paragraph on this.)

b) explain and support your evaluation of each site - fully explaining the basis of your assessment. This is the key part of the assignment. You will be getting most of your points for the clarity and completeness of your explanations. (at least a paragraph on this.) You are not analyzing appearance and style as much as you are evaluating the worth and usefulness of the actual historical information being communicated.