1. It’s out there somewhere Finding facts and avoiding fiction on the Internet

2. Directory assistance randyjessee@earthlink.net jjessee@timesdispatch.com 804-649-6118 office 804-363-2784 cell www.rjessee.com/out_there.ppt (there’s an underscore between “out” and “there”)

3. The Internet is The Internet is: 1.Full of accurate, useful information 2.An easy way to avoid mistakes 3.Full of lies, slander and misinformation 4.An easy way to embarrass yourself and your publication and get sued. 5.All of the above

4. Nuestra Senora de Buena Esperanza A cautionary tale of research gone awry

5. Nuestra Senora de Buena Esperanza The Daily Evergreen at Washington State University needed a story about Filipino-American History Month. The assignment was given to a freshman journalism student writing her very first story.

6. Nuestra Senora de Buena Esperanza The reporter wrote: “The first Filipinos landed on the shores of Morro Bay, California, on a Spanish galleon called the Nuestra Senora de Buena Esperanza.”

7. Nuestra Senora de Buena Esperanza The reporter’s editor said: “Not bad, but don’t you think you ought to translate the name of the ship?” So the reporter went to Google…

8. Nuestra Senora de Buena Esperanza “The first Filipinos landed on the shores of Morro Bay, California, on a Spanish galleon called the Nuestra Senora de Buena Esperanza, which translates to ‘The Big Ass Spanish Boat.’”

9. Nuestra Senora de Buena Esperanza = Our Lady of Good Hope The reporter’s online source was www.Pinoylife.com, a humor site.

10. Nuestra Senora de Buena Esperanza Pinoylife.com wrote: “You know, some people really need to learn that just because something is on the Internet doesn’t mean that it is true.”

11. Do you Fnu Lnu?

12. Search engines are not the problem Software cannot differentiate fact from fictionSoftware cannot differentiate fact from fiction If it’s on the Internet, a search engine eventually will find it and report itIf it’s on the Internet, a search engine eventually will find it and report it It can be the cyber equivalent of gossip, where the original statement and the eventual statement are miles apartIt can be the cyber equivalent of gossip, where the original statement and the eventual statement are miles apart

13. Sarah Palin www.digitaljournal.com/article/259257www.digitaljournal.com/article/259257www.digitaljournal.com/article/259257

14. CONSIDER the source Official sources are always the safestOfficial sources are always the safest College and university sources are nextCollege and university sources are next Lexis-Nexis is next – but expensiveLexis-Nexis is next – but expensive Publications’ own sites are on-par with Lexis-Nexis but only for their own materialPublications’ own sites are on-par with Lexis-Nexis but only for their own material Wide-open search engines…caution…Wide-open search engines…caution…

15. Official sources: Usually right on target http://www.courts.state.va.us/caseinfo/home.htmlhttp://www.courts.state.va.us/caseinfo/home.htmlhttp://www.courts.state.va.us/caseinfo/home.html http://www.crimcheck.com/freerecords.htmhttp://www.crimcheck.com/freerecords.htmhttp://www.crimcheck.com/freerecords.htm http://www.ci.richmond.va.us/http://www.ci.richmond.va.us/http://www.ci.richmond.va.us/ http://www.co.henrico.va.us/http://www.co.henrico.va.us/http://www.co.henrico.va.us/ http://www.chesterfield.gov/http://www.chesterfield.gov/http://www.chesterfield.gov/ http://www.co.hanover.va.us/http://www.co.hanover.va.us/http://www.co.hanover.va.us/

16. Colleges and universities http://www.ibiblio.org/ -- a really cool place to find out about lots of different thingshttp://www.ibiblio.org/ -- a really cool place to find out about lots of different thingshttp://www.ibiblio.org/ http://www.library.vcu.edu/http://www.library.vcu.edu/http://www.library.vcu.edu/ http://www.virginia.edu/lib.htmlhttp://www.virginia.edu/lib.htmlhttp://www.virginia.edu/lib.html http://www.lib.vt.edu/http://www.lib.vt.edu/http://www.lib.vt.edu/ http://www.wm.edu/libraries/index.phphttp://www.wm.edu/libraries/index.phphttp://www.wm.edu/libraries/index.php http://www.editteach.orghttp://www.editteach.orghttp://www.editteach.org

17. Lexis-Nexis Costly but comprehensive http://www.nexis.com/research -- You’ll need your own account or use it in your libraryhttp://www.nexis.com/research -- You’ll need your own account or use it in your libraryhttp://www.nexis.com/research http://www.lexis.com/research -- Dittohttp://www.lexis.com/research -- Dittohttp://www.lexis.com/research Lexis and Nexis are just as accurate as their original sourcesLexis and Nexis are just as accurate as their original sources –Corrections posted prominently and regularly –Sources are paid for their material

18. Publication sites www.timesdispatch.com – You can search the last six months for free; after that, you have to pay for archive access.www.timesdispatch.com – You can search the last six months for free; after that, you have to pay for archive access.www.timesdispatch.com www.nytimes.com – You can search the current week’s data for free. If you subscribe to Times Select ($7.95 a month), you can retrieve up to 100 archived files per month.www.nytimes.com – You can search the current week’s data for free. If you subscribe to Times Select ($7.95 a month), you can retrieve up to 100 archived files per month.www.nytimes.com www.washingtonpost.com – You can search the last 60 days for free; after that, you have to pay for archive access.www.washingtonpost.com – You can search the last 60 days for free; after that, you have to pay for archive access.www.washingtonpost.com

19. Publication sites www.nytimes.com/navigator -- Absolutely free, updated regularly by a member of The New York Times news staff. This site is the home page of all members of The New York Times news department.www.nytimes.com/navigator -- Absolutely free, updated regularly by a member of The New York Times news staff. This site is the home page of all members of The New York Times news department.www.nytimes.com/navigator http://www.reporter.org/desktop/ -- Another great compilation of research tools.http://www.reporter.org/desktop/ -- Another great compilation of research tools.http://www.reporter.org/desktop/

20. Search engines Use them carefully Narrow your search as much as possibleNarrow your search as much as possible Use the advanced techniques in Google or YahooUse the advanced techniques in Google or Yahoo Ignore blogs or use them to point you to a reputable sourceIgnore blogs or use them to point you to a reputable source NEVER use a wiki as a sourceNEVER use a wiki as a source Think: What’s the source and how is it referenced?Think: What’s the source and how is it referenced? www.google.comwww.google.comwww.google.com

21. Maps and pictures and maps with pictures and… www.mapquest.comwww.mapquest.comwww.mapquest.com www.mapblast.comwww.mapblast.comwww.mapblast.com www.nationalgeographic.comwww.nationalgeographic.comwww.nationalgeographic.com http://www.virginia.govhttp://www.virginia.govhttp://www.virginia.gov

22. Miscellaneous cool stuff http://www.landings.com/_landings/pages/search.html - - Find out who owns an airplane or what airplanes an agency or company ownshttp://www.landings.com/_landings/pages/search.html - - Find out who owns an airplane or what airplanes an agency or company ownshttp://www.landings.com/_landings/pages/search.html http://www.flightaware.com – Track commercial and private flightshttp://www.flightaware.com – Track commercial and private flightshttp://www.flightaware.com

23. Miscellaneous cool stuff http://www.skeetobiteweather.com/ -- Makes it fun to track a hurricanehttp://www.skeetobiteweather.com/ -- Makes it fun to track a hurricanehttp://www.skeetobiteweather.com/ http://www.weatherunderground.com/ -- A different way of looking at the weatherhttp://www.weatherunderground.com/ -- A different way of looking at the weatherhttp://www.weatherunderground.com/ www.nhc.noaa.com – National Hurricane Centerwww.nhc.noaa.com – National Hurricane Centerwww.nhc.noaa.com http://www.superpages.com/ -- Finding phone number, people and addresseshttp://www.superpages.com/ -- Finding phone number, people and addresseshttp://www.superpages.com/

24. Miscellaneous cool stuff www.newseum.org – Daily posting of front pages from around the worldwww.newseum.org – Daily posting of front pages from around the worldwww.newseum.org www.poynter.org – The ultimate source on journalism ethics, trends and – yes – GOSSIP!www.poynter.org – The ultimate source on journalism ethics, trends and – yes – GOSSIP!www.poynter.org www.snd.org – The designers’ view of the worldwww.snd.org – The designers’ view of the worldwww.snd.org www.newsdesigner.com – Dittowww.newsdesigner.com – Dittowww.newsdesigner.com