http://www.metrostate.edu/library/general.html

"http" means hypertext transfer protocol "www" World Wide Web (It is not an essential

part of the address, and some sites choose not to use it)

“metrostate" is the second-level domain name and usually designates the server's location, in this case the Metropolitan State University.

"edu" is the top-level domain name (see below) “library" is the directory name “general" is the file name "html" is the file type and, in this case, stands

for hypertext mark-up language

Like print material, websites need to be evaluated for accuracy, bias, and relevancy.

Unlike print material, which may be peer-reviewed, it is often up to you to determine the accuracy of the information.

ANYONE can put up a website – in minutes and for little or no cost to them.

According to a study conducted by Stanford University’s Technology Persuasion Laboratory assessing selection criteria of more than 2,600 participants:

“…the average consumer paid far more attention to the superficial aspects of a site, such as visual cues, than its content….nearly half of all consumers (or 46.1%) in the study assessed the credibility of sites based in part on the appeal of the overall visual design of a site, including layout, typography, font size, and color schemes.”

Fogg, B. J., Soohoo, C., & Danielson, D. (2002). How do people evaluate a web site's credibility?: Results from a large study. Retrieved October 6, 2009, from http://www.consumerwebwatch.org/dynamic/web-credibility-reports-evaluate-abstract.cfm

Authorship - Who is the author? Audience – For whom is the content

intended? Accuracy - Is the source verified? Objectivity - Is the information biased? Currency - Is the content up-to-date? Coverage - What topics are included?

.com = a commercial site. A company owns the site or provides it, either free or for a cost, to people (e.g., America Online). That means they may be trying to sell you something!

.edu = an educational institution. Usually an indicator of strong quality unless you see the next symbol ( ~ )

Example: http://www.chgs.umn.edu

.gov = a government source—often rich in statistical data.

Example: http://www.fedstats.gov One particular government branch gets its own

domain:.mil = military branch origin.lib = libraries prioritize quality and evaluation in

their material..k12 = k-12 schools. Remember both teachers and

students are assigned these, so check carefully.

.net = something to do with an internet-related service, so bias can occur.

.org = generally intended for non-profit organizations, though not always. And remember, non-profit does NOT mean unbiased.

~ = a tilde indicates an individual somehow connected with the institution (a teacher, a student) has created their own page. While some of these have been excellent sources of information, distortions, biases, errors can occur.

Similarly, blogs or weblogs often belong to an individual, though they may be affiliated with a university or other organization.

Domain registrant search, such as http://www.allwhois.com/ ; find out who owns the domain.

On the webpage, look for an “about us” section, or the contact information for the author.

Don’t use anonymous info! Who has authored

http://www.genochoice.com/http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/

WHO?

Websites on the Internet can also be outright hoaxes.◦ Author may go to elaborate lengths to

disguise the fact, or may have a disclaimer.◦ May be for a joke – or it could be malicious.

If a weird story is true – it should be reported elsewhere, in other sources.

www.snopes.com is a great site to search for information on suspected hoaxes.

Primary sources represent original voices and personal experience: Primary sources represent original voices and personal experience: the first generation of publication. the first generation of publication. •Speeches•Interviews•Testimony•Proclamations/Declarations•Statistical Data•Government Documents•Pamphlets•Manuals•Letters•Memoirs/Diaries/Journals•Autobiographies•Novels/Fiction•Maps/Photos

Secondary sources interpret, evaluate, and synthesize from the original. These include:•Periodical Articles•Non-Fiction Books•Studies•Research Reports•Biographies

APA Information for Students http://www.apa.org/students/

Occupational Outlook, US Dept of Laborhttp://www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm

Psyccareers http://www.psyccareers.com/

American Psychological Associationhttp://www.apa.org

Association for Psychological Science http://www.psychologicalscience.org

PsychWebhttp://www.psywww.com/

PsycCrawler http://www.psychcrawler.com/