Post on 18-Jan-2016
Assessing Online Resources for Credibility
Faculty Summer Institute—May 2012
Focus for today
Evaluating websites
Using databases To find credible articles To evaluate periodicals To evaluate books
Evaluating Websites
Authority (person or entity responsible)
Qualifications/expertness/credentials
Affiliation with a reputable institution/company
Contact information or “About” information
Domain name (.edu, .gov, .mil, .us, .org, .com, .net)
Currency
When created
When updated
Links that are current
Links that work
Purpose
Type of website (personal, special interest/issues, professional, news, commercial, etc.)
Neutral/unbiased, advocating, selling, etc.
If advocating, look for “I think,” “it has been my experience,” “in my opinion,” etc.
References
Documentation of references/sources
Credible and authoritative references/sources
Current references/sources
Tips
Check more than one website to verify information
A tilde (~) in the URL usually indicates a person published the information
Shorten URLs to find the home page
Following are links to find out about sites:
www.whois.net
http://www.who.is/website-information/
http://www.whois.com/
Go to library websites for lists of reviewed websites (usually categorized by subject)
Using Databases
Online Subscription Databases
MCC -- http://www.mclennan.edu/library/databases.html
Waco McLennan County Library -- http://www.waco-texas.com/cms-library/page.aspx?id=22
Baylor -- https://www1.baylor.edu/ERD/Search/Search.aspx
Tarleton -- http://www.tarleton.edu/library/databases.html
Use databases to find credible articles
Academic Search Complete (database)
Results List
Detailed Record of the Article
Permalink --(a persistent, stable link to the record for the article and the article)
Use databases to evaluate periodicals (print or electronic)
Ulrichsweb (database)
Use databases to evaluate books (print or electronic)
Books in Print (database)
Contact Information
Sharon Kenan, Research & Instruction Librarian
McLennan Community College Library
1400 College Drive
Waco, Texas 76708
skenan@mclennan.edu
254-299-8343