Website Evaluation "Clip art licensed from the Clip Art Gallery on DiscoverySchool.com“

How to evaluate a website Authority Who wrote the pages and are they an expert? Is the name on the site the author or the Webmaster? Does the site provide author contact information and author biography? Who published the site **Look for About or More About the author on the webpage **Google author to get credentials/background information **Look at domain name for indication of site sponsor/publisher

 Accuracy What is the purpose of the site – is it stated? Is the information opinion or fact? Is it biased in some way? Is there a date on the site? Is the information current? When was it last updated? **Look at home page of site – is it cluttered with advertising?

 Arrangement Is the layout well thought out and well organized? Is it easy to move from one place to another?

 Application Does the information agree with information from other sources? Does the Web site have working links to other good sites on this topic? Does this Web site provide useful information?

Additional things to consider  =Where does the information come from: Regulated government agency: federal (.gov) educational institution (.edu or k12) Unregulated commercial business: (.com) organization: service oriented, non-profit (.org) network organization (generic/all-purpose) – ??? (.net)

Examples of sources that are often the most credible: Official government websites Institutional sites that represent universities, regulatory agencies, governing bodies, and respected organizations with specific expertise (e.g., the Mayo Clinic) Peer-reviewed journals Reputable news sources Sources located on subscription databases Examples of sources that are often considered less credible: Blogs Web forums Individual or business websites Materials published by an entity that may have an ulterior motive

What is the important thing about a: Subscription database – paid for – pre-selected material – reliable – published magazines, reports, documents, newspapers, books, images, etc.

Subscription Databases available at KFLMC eLibrary Science eLibrary Galenet CultureGrams Proquest Sirs

Subscription Databases provided by PA Dept. of Education Locating databases in school: Go to Destiny library home page Click on link POWER LIBRARY Select appropriate database Locating databases at home Use web address: database.accesspa.org/ Select your county (Dauphin) Select PUBLIC LIBRARY Before being able to use, you will need to select your local library name and enter your public library card #.

PLAGIARISM Plagiarism is the act of presenting the words, ideas, images, sounds or the creative expression of others as your own. Power Tool Recharged by Joyce Kasman Valencia (2004)

Does this sound familiar?? Sometimes I “borrow” clipart, photos, and video clips from the web without acknowledging the creator I sometimes copy work from a friend when they say it’s ok, but I don’t give them credit I have copied and pasted text from electronic sources without giving credit to the author I change a few words when using the work of another and presenting it as my own.

Two Types of Plagiarism Intentional Cutting or pasting blocks of text from electronic sources without documentation Borrowing media without documentation or permission from creator Copying a classmate’s work Buying or borrowing papers Unintentional Careless paraphrasing Poor documentation Excessive use of quotes Not using your own word, perspective, point of view

What’s Your Excuse? What difference does it make if no one knows? My parents expect me to get good grades! Everyone else does it, right? If they didn’t want me to copy it why did they put it on the internet? I’ve got to get into ??? U.

Why do I need to cite my sources? To give credit to the author’s ideas you use To give authority to the information you use Enables readers to locate your sources When you copy, you cheat yourself and the creator of the ideas, art, images, etc.

Real life consequences of plagiarism New York Times reporter Jayson Blair was forced to resign after being accused of plagiarism and fraud (“New York Times”) Investigation of plagiarism at University of Virginia resulted in dismissal of 45 students and the revoking of 3 graduate degrees (CNN) Anne Thornton, Desserts First star, fired for plagiarizing recipes (NY Post)

What if…. Your attorney borrowed a copy of the bar exams? Your architect cheated his way through math class? Your surgeon bought his research papers and paid a stand-in to take his/her exams

How do I avoid plagiarism? Use quotes (sparingly) – using the exact words of an author, copied directly from a source word for word. Quotes must be cited in-text and within the Works Cited page. Quotes must be cited in-text and within the Works Cited page. Paraphrase – rephrasing the words of an author, putting their thoughts/ideas into your own words. Use your own voice. Paraphrasing must be cited in-text and within the Works Cited page. Summarize – putting the main ideas of a writer or writers into your own words including only the main points. Summaries must also be cited.

What don’t I need to cite? Facts that are widely known (George Washington was our first president) Information or judgments known to be common knowledge (there are 60 minutes in an hour) A discussion of your own experiences, observations or reactions Compilation of results of original research, from science experiments, etc.

Copyright and Fairuse guidelines for school projects Visit the link below: airCitation.pdf