Lecture
In this week’s lecture we learnt the values of evaluating a website and the Information Quality (IQ) on the World Wide Web. Information quality or more commonly known as data that is “fir-for-use” is a multidimensional concept. Data that is “fit-for-use” implies that IQ considered appropriate for one use my not possess sufficient attributes for another use, it also that it gives IQ a context.
There are two type of information context on the World Wide Web. The first is Open Protocols, which allows swift and convenient information change, anyone with access to a computer can create web content, also the information published on the web bypasses traditional filters previously used to ensure a degree of Information Quality, which now allows unreliable sources to make web pages that are just spoofs.
The second type of context on the World Wide Web in Open Architecture, which has no enforceable quality control, it doesn’t have enforced classification and meta-tagging systems, it has dynamic/fluid content structure which causes 404 errors, it also has partial index representation.
These two types both has no control of, who publishes on the web, why publishers publish on the web and what exactly is published on the web.
Here are some principles to consider when surfing on the web on how to determine the quality of the content we search is reliable;
- What is the content you are measuring
- Why does the information resource exist?
- Consider if the information is fit-for-use
- Consider the accuracy, authority, objectivity, currency and the coverage.
You should also, when coming across a website consider the authentication.
- Where is it? (Domain type)
- Who wrote it? (Name, position, credentials, etc)
- The source and validation information, and also the references.
This week's leture was very informative and taught me that not every website is reliable and you should always be aware of any website that may look like a spoof. Remember, when in doubt, doubt!
Tutorial (Work Shop Six)
After reviewing the ICYouSee website on
http://www.ithaca.edu/library/training/think.html, this is what I came up with as a strategy to evaluate a website;
- Make sure you are in the right place
- When in doubt, doubt!
- Consider the source
- Know what is happening
- Look at the details
- Distinguish web pages from pages found on the web
You should also, always consider, the authorship, accuracy, objectivity, currency, coverage and value. All these tips should be considered when evaluating a web page.
These are all very good tips, and after reviewing the INCO 48 web page on
http://www.taftcollege.edu/newTC/Academic/INCO48/sec6-4.htm, I came to find that it too had quite the same tips. There was one tip that the ICYouSee web page did not have that the INCO 48 web page did, this was that when looking at a page, always look at the domain types. Refer to the screenshots section to see the different domain types and their description.
After this task, we were to complete an assignment on the ICYouSee web page
http://www.ithaca.edu/library/training/think60.html. There was a list of five web pages, and had to only choose two to evaluate. I chose American Cultural History on
http://kclibrary.nhmccd.edu/decade60.html and also the Psychedelic ‘60’s on
http://www.lib.virginia.edu/small/exhibits/sixties/index.html.
Make sure you are in the right place: Is this site a good source for the information you need? Was the page worth visiting?
- The first webpage I visited on American Cultural History was a good source of information, it had all aspects of life in the sixties in America, such as art & architecture, theatre, film & radio, & television, books and literature, fashion and fads, education, music, events and technology, and sports. If I was looking on information on American History in the sixties, this page would have definitely been worth visiting
- The second page I visited, Psychedelic ‘60’s is also a good source, and it has everything from the sixties, from the Vietnam War to the rock music that was listened too. This page is also worth visiting if information on the sixties in needed.
When in doubt, doubt: Do you have good reason to believe that the information on the site is accurate? Are the facts documented?
- Both webpage were well documented, the information on them I believe are accurate, web page one has the reference it used on each subject.
Consider the source: Who are the authors and who is responsible for the site? What is their expertise? What is their bias?
- Web page one was written by Susan Goodwin, and designed by Peggy Whitley, they are both from Kingwood College.
- Web page two what written by George Riser. His expertise is not included but the site was from the University of Virginia.
Know what's happening: What is the site's purpose or point of view?
-Both sites have the same point of view, all the history of the sixties. There is one difference though, as site one only focuses on the American History, where as site two focuses on all history from the sixties, from the war to all the trend that were made.
Distinguish Web pages from pages found on the Web: Was this page designed for the Web, or is it something else, such as a government document or a journal article?
- Both pages were obviously made for the web, but on site one, all information was taken from books.
Overall this week was very informative, and will help me through out my University studies.
ScreenshotsDomain types and their meaning
Screen Shot of web site one, American Cultural History, 1960-1969
Web page two, Psychedelic 60's
