Apocalypse Online

Assignment Seven

Choose TWO websites that contain useful information in preparation for the end of the world, either theologically, academically, or "survivalistically," that you find are worthy of sharing with others.

Write an annotation of these sites ultimately to be published on my website, EndLinks: The End of the World on the Web. In doing this assignment, you must fulfill the following criteria:

1. Choose a site that you want to recommend to others. Make sure it contains enough content to sustain our attention and be worthy of your analysis.
   

   Is it okay to choose the same site as somebody else in this class?
   It's too difficult to make sure everybody has different sites, so duplication is permissible. However, it might not be to your advantage to be compared so directly with other students. If you all find the same two sites, I might conclude that you are not exploiting the search engines to their full advantage. When you meet on November 8th, you might check around to see if there is uncomfortable duplication.
    
   

2. Choose a site that is NOT already adequately reviewed on the EndLinks website. You MAY NOT review a website already on EndLinks without clearing it with the professor.
      HINT: Use the SEARCH function on that site to check for the sites you've located.

   The site I want to review is already on the EndLinks website but...
      the other review is really out of date
   or
      I think I could do a better job.
   Is it okay if I choose it?
   Nothing goes out of date faster than websites, and some of the stuff in the EndLinks is *really* out of date because the sites have changed very radically. Go ahead and submit something more current. BUT MAKE SURE that you're really adding something to what's up there. Not all of the sites chosen by former students were good choices in the first place. Have a strong argument ready if you want to convince me to approve a repeat choice.

RefWorks would be helpful on this assignment. To sign up for an account, consult the Reference Librarians at Pelletier Library. RefWorks login.

3. Submit your citation in MLA format. Use the guides in your textbook Hacker, or see material from the MLA Online, or the Style and Citation Guides prepared by Middlebury College. Due November 13th, 5 pm.
   MLA Citations
    
4. Write an annotation describing each website in a paragraph of 250-300 words (not including the citation.) Count them! Include:
   • the authority of the author or authors
   • the purpose of the website
   • the contents of the site
   • who would be interested in this site.
   
   Both MLA citation and 250-300 word annotations are due ELECTRONICALLY before 5:00 pm, Tuesday, November 20. BEFORE THANKSGIVING BREAK!
    
5. Prepare final versions of your two annotations according to criteria that we will discuss in class on November 27th. Your final versions are due electronically by 5:00 pm, Tuesday, December 4.

What is your goal in searching the web? Your goal will determine what kind of search engine you use, what keywords you search, and when you stop. Consider the following examples:

You are looking for a specific piece of information, say, a date, a statistic, or a definition. What determines your search pattern?

• Do you have a favorite search engine?
• Do you use online reference materials?
• How do you know that the source is authoritative?
• Use the web resources page put together for this class to find and evaluate information.

How do you remember what you've found?

• Bookmark the site. (on your machine)
• Mail yourself the URL
• Make a record of the site as you would put it in a bibliography. MLA format.
• If the information is very important to you, or if you feel you will need to refer to it in the future, print it out.

You are doing research on a subject, so your goal is to find out all that you can about it. You are looking for a number of websites that represent the best of the web, and the complete range of material.

• Is it possible or desirable to locate everything that exists on the subject?
• Do a few different keyword searches to get the lay of the land.
• Follow links on intriguing sites.
• Do a few sites keep coming up? Why?
• What alternate spellings exist of your words? On Google, I found were 11,700,000 matches for millennium and 2,580,000 matches for the misspelling millenium.
• What other keywords might you consider?
• What other kinds of sites are coming up when you use your keyword? Are these related? Can you eliminate them in your search?

You know there's a lot of material out there about your subject, so how do you identify the best and most relevant sites? What is your search strategy?

• How many sites should you look at?
• Have you explored links pages on relevant sites?
• Do certain sites get linked to frequently? Why?
• When was the site last updated?
• How well does the site fit the criteria of your search? (In this case, it must be useful and worthy of sharing.

Use what you already know in locating sites. For example in this class:

Is there a website that speaks to you? Consider looking for a site that is:

• In line with your beliefs,
• opposed to your beliefs,
• good parody,
• sound academic source,
• good design,
• outstandingly bad design?

E-Mail to acarr@alleg.edu

Updated 15 November 2007
http://merlin.alleg.edu/employee/a/acarr/fs/assign7.html