Online Sources When to use ‘em… Mrs. Gardner English I

…and when not to use ‘em! Wikipedia Geocities Student Produced Blogs Discussion Boards

Evaluate your sources After a search LOOK at your options  Description Key Words  Web Address HOST NAMES:.org,.com,.net,.edu,.gov

Evaluation of Sources Authority Accuracy Objectivity Currency Coverage Adolf Hitler Dr. Mengele Auschwitz Anne Frank

Evaluation of Sources: Authority  Is it clear what company, organization, or individual is responsible for this site?  Are they sponsored by an organization or paying for the site themselves?  Is the company or organization legit?

Evaluation of Sources: Accuracy  Are factual sources clearly presented?  Is the text free of grammatical, spelling, and typographical errors?  Are graphs and charts clearly labeled?

Evaluation of Sources: Objectivity  Are the source’s biases and motivations clear and appropriate?  Is there advertising on the site?  Is the site provided as a public service?

Evaluation of Sources: Currency  Are there dates on the site to indicate when the document was written or last revised?  Do the site’s policies explain how information is kept current?

Evaluation of Sources: Coverage  Is the site complete or still under construction?  Is this full text of the material or a summary?  Are the links both current and appropriate for the site?

Attribution of Sources Using MLA Style AuthorLast, AuthorFirst. “Webpage Article Title.” Website Title. 12 July Dec

Attribution of Sources Rule of Thumb  URL  Date  Author Minimum Requirement! Otherwise DO NOT USE THAT SOURCE

So… When researching…  Look at the host name  Go through A-A-O-C-C  Make sure you have an author, a date of publication, and a web address… DUH!