Safe and Effective Web searchING Tips for finding information online that is credible and useful

Watch out for C.R.A.A.P. Currency Relevance Authority Accuracy Purpose

Currency What it means: Ask yourself… The timeliness of the information Outdated information: http://www.vegsource.com/ha rris/b_cancer.htm Current Website: http://www.nytimes.com/ When was the information published or posted? Has the information been revised or updated? Is the information current or out-of-date for your topic? Are the links functional?

Relevance What it means: Ask yourself… The importance of the information for needs Questionable Depth: http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/OC EAN_PLANET/HTML/popsci.h tml http://www.timeforkids.com/ Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question? Who’s the intended audience? Is the information at an appropriate level? Have you looked at a variety of sources before choosing this one? Would you feel confident in using this source for a research paper?

Accuracy What it means: Ask yourself… The reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the content Example of why sources should be verified: http://www.improbable.com/airc hives/classical/cat/feline- nov2001.html Where does the information come from? Is the information supported with evidence? Can you verify any of the information in another source? Does the language/tone seem biased and free of emotion? Are there spelling, grammar, or other errors?

Authority What it means: Ask yourself… The source of the information Example of why you should examine the URL and the sponsoring organization: http://www.python.org/~guido/ Example of a more reputable website: http://heinzhome.heinzctrinfo.n et/index.html Who is the author/publisher? What are the author’s credentials or organization affiliations? What are the author’s qualifications to write on the topic? Is there contact information? Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source?

Purpose What it means: Ask yourself… The reason the information exists Examples of websites with possible bias:  http://www.zip4tweens.com/ http://www.beefnutrition.org/ http://www.chevron.com/global issues/climatechange/ What is the purpose of the information? Do the authors make their intentions clear? Is the information fact? opinion? Does the point of view appear objective and impartial? Is this information biased?

URL Clues .edu-educational institutions; universities, colleges, & schools .org-miscellaneous organizations & non- government organizations .gov-US Federal government .com-commercial entities; companies (should try to avoid)

Just Ask! Sometimes the endless supply of information that you find online can be overwhelming and confusing. When in doubt ask a librarian or teacher! Librarians know their stuff when it comes to effectively search the internet and they are happy to help.