1. How Do You Know It’s the Real Thing? Evaluating Websites

2. Reality Check

3. Know Your Personal Biases Do I usually base my opinions on... Do I tend to look at things as either “right/wrong” or “good/bad”?

4. When I receive information, I usually... _____assume the author has the qualifications. _____verify the author’s claims/facts in another source. _____accept that the information is probably true.

6. What Is a Reliable Website?

7. An authoritative, accurate source whose claims can be verified by reliable documents.

8. author’s credibility source’s reputation An Authoritative source depends on:

9. How do I evaluate the author’s credibility? Ask questions!

10. Why do I have free access to this site? Why do the creators want me to see this site?

11. Is the site attempting to sell.... a product? promote an idea? advocate a political agenda?

12. Who’s Behind the Website? Who pays for the site? Who maintains the site? Who is the content provider?

13. Check to see if site provides an identifying link: “About Us” “Who We Are” “Mission Statement” Example: http://www.aclu.org http://www.aclu.org

14. Author’s Credibility Check credentials of author : Listedin library databases? Academic Search Elite Discussed on the Internet? Google the author’s name

15. Identify the Author/Sponsor Personal Home Pages http://www.u.arizona.edu/~bittnera/ Truncate the URL to the domain name: www.csub.edu/BAS/fiscal/studaccount/cashiering.shtml

16. The Reputation of Sources

17. Does the source provide editorial oversight? Ensures quality control.

18. Does the source provider employ fact checkers?

19. Fact checkers check quotes, dates, names, statistics, citations, and other represented facts. Fact checkers check the legitimacy, authenticity, and validity of the information at hand.

20.  Scholarly fact checkers are called “peer-reviewers.”

21. Media Watchdogs www.factcheck.org/

22. Examples of inaccurate content.

23. In 2005, according to Ebreastaug.com, Americans spent $12 billion on cosmetic surgery.

24. Supported Statements Sarwer, D. “Physical Appearance & Cosmetic Medical Treatments: Socio-Cultural Influences.”Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology 2 (2006): 29-39. (33)

25. Supported Statements “In 2005, Americans spent approximately $8 billion on surgeons’ fees for cosmetic medical treatments (ASAPS, 2006).”

26. Supported Statements References American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. Cosmetic Surgery National Data Bank—2005 Statistics. New York, NY: ASAPS, 2006.

27. Top Domains Personal (.com,.edu,.net) Commercial (.com,.org) Advocacy (.org,.com) Non-profits (.org,.edu) Scholarly/educational (.edu, org) Popular press (.com,.org) Proprietary (.com,.edu,.org,.net) Governmental (.gov,.mil)

28. Summary Why was this site launched? Who is behind this site? Is the content cited by reliable evidence?

29. Don’t accept claims at face value. Test them by asking questions.

30. Who is speaking? Where are they getting their information? How can I verify what they’re saying?

31. Summary is qualified to address the issue. supports claims with evidence. confirms the accuracy of a statistic or fact. Trusting a website is based on whether the author: