Using & Evaluating the Web
Searching Tips and Timesavers | Links to Additional Information | Tutorials
The Web vs. Library Databases: What's the Difference?
Who and what should you believe? Have an attitude of skepticism and require the information to prove its point to you. Do not jump to conclusions too quickly.
- Authority & Credibility
- What information is provided on the website owner/creator -- their background, reputation, experience related to the topic...
- Quality control -- is this from a responsible organization, peer-reviewed, edited...
- Currency of information, factual, evidence of information sources
- Is Wikipedia Accurate?
- Are these accurate sites?
- RYT Hospital
- Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus
- PPI: Primate Programming, Inc.
- Dominion of West Florida
- Voluntary Human Extinction Movement
- First Genetics
- McWhortle Enterprises, Inc.
- California's Velcro Crop
- Dihydrogen Monoxide
- National Driver's License Database
- GodSend Institute
- PopTart Blow Torch
- The Onion: Online News
- White House?
- Antarctica
- Which of these sources fit the suggested research topic? AIDS Research: My Search Results
- Accuracy & Objectivity
- Facts and statistics should include the source
- Objective, balanced, avoid generalizations, acknowledge varying viewpoints if they exist
- Corroborate
- Use multiple sources of information! Validate what you are reading from several sources.
- Cite
- Make sure to jot down the full cite information for sources used.
Remember...
- Who and what should you believe?
- Have an attitude of skepticism and require the information to prove its point to you.
- Do not jump to conclusions too quickly.
- Base any decision on evaluation and re-evaluation.
Good luck!
Links to Additional Information:
- Check These Out!
- National Library of Medicine: Health Web Surfing
- Evaluating Health Sites
- Watch this video...
- Test Yourself!
- Be the Internet Detective!
- Evaluating the Web (flash video)
- Urban Legends, Scam Busters...
- Using the Web (flash movie)
- Evaluating Websites (flash movie)
- The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, or, Why It's a Good Idea to Evaluate Web Sources
- Hoax? You decide
- Research Tips: How to Search the Web and Evaluate Web Pages *
- Internet Detective
- Criteria for Evaluating Web Sites
- Evaluating Web Pages
- ABC's of Website Evaluation
Searching Tips & TimeSavers
The Web can contain misleading information. Check out the following tips for locating reliable sources of information on the Web:
- Searching the Web Tips (flash movie)
- Searching the Web for Information (powerpoint)
Tutorials
- Learn the Net
- Beginners' Central, a Users Guide to the Internet
- GoogleGuide
- Guide on how to search Google effectively.
- How to Choose the Search Tools or Databases You Need for Web Searching
- Navigating the World Wide Web
The best guide to resources is a librarian who can help you in using the catalog, databases and the Web. A librarian can also assist you in selecting materials appropriate for your needs. Please ask at any service desk for information or assistance!
The El Centro College Library does not guarantee the currency or accuracy of these websites. Links to these sites do not represent an endorsement of the site or of information contained within the site.
Reference/Information Desk: 214-860-2174 Circulation:
214-860-2175
Comments or suggestions are welcome.
©2006 El Centro College Library
Dallas, TX
Last Updated:
September 12, 2008