An old cartoon from the New Yorker has a dog typing at a work station, saying to another dog, "On the Internet, no one knows you're a dog." In other words, anyone who has access to a browser can create searchable web pages for you to find. Contrast this with going to a bookstore or a library, where you are in a filtered collection of information. Publishers, editors, book reviewers, librarians, and bookstore managers all have different criteria for choosing what gets on the shelf. There are no such filters for the web. The internet is a wealth of information—some high quality and some poor quality. Some of the poor quality results from people making errors, passing on unverified stories, or deliberately misleading you or lying about topics. For example, a web site on the health risks of tobacco smoking maintained by RJR Nabisco might be suspect. A web site on Obama for president created and maintained by a Republican group would have a definite bias.

Once you find what appears to be information relevant to your topic, you must take the time to evaluate it. Evaluating Resources: A Brief Guide discusses the evaluation process and contains links to other web sites that address the issue.

One of the problems with using information from the web is determining its validity as a resource. To evaluate internet sources it is important to examine issues such as authority, currency, and intended audience.

1. What do we mean by authority?
   • Is it clear what organization is responsible for the contents of the page? Is it clear whether this is a page from the national or local chapter of the organization?
   • Is there a link to a page describing the goals of the organization? What might their biases be?
   • What are the organization's credentials?
   • How can you verify their credentials? Is there a phone number or postal address to contact for more information?
2. What do we mean by currency?
   • How often is the page updated by its creator?
   • If there are statistics, who collected them and when?
   • Has this site been revised?
3. What do we mean by intended audience?
   • Why did the organization put this information on the web? Are the organization's biases clearly stated?
   • Is the information directed at a specific audience?
   • Is it intended to inform, sell, persuade, explain...
   • If there is any advertising on the page, is it clearly differentiated from the informational content?

Using the criteria we cover in class as guides, we'll evaluate these sites and make decisions about their authority, accuracy, and suitability as reference sources.

• Insects as Food - Insect Recipes
• Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division
• The Agony and the Ecstasy Summary