¶ … Credibility
What are the signs that a website has credibility and value to the researcher? What specific information in a website's presentation lets the researcher know that this information is valid and verified? This portion of the paper explores the way in which websites are best evaluated and tested for validity.
Website Review and Evaluation
When a researcher goes to Google and types in "evaluating website checklist," Google reports (in less than 2 seconds) that there are "About 760,000 results," or links, to sites that relate to that topic. Anyone that has used Google knows full well that all 760,000 of those links are not necessarily useful; and indeed there are bound to be repeat links among the 760,000 sites.
The shortest criterion for evaluating websites was put online by Avon Public Schools in Connecticut. There are eight ways to check information on websites (note: some schools spell it "web site" and others use "website" (still others capitalize "Website"). The eight from Avon schools include: a) "it is clear who has written the information?"; b) are the "aims" of the site clearly established?; c) does the site "achieve" those aims? d) it is relevant to my needs? e) can the information be verified? f) how old is the site?; g) is the information biased?; and h) does the site offer choices? (www.avon.k12.ct.us).
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) is far more thorough, and offers five key criteria. The first is "credibility" (is the author listed, what are his or her credentials, can the author be reached for comment, is it peer-reviewed and is the spelling / grammar proper? Under "Accuracy" UIUC asks: is the site current, is the information complete and does the author "…acknowledge all views?" The site included "reasonableness" (fairness, truthfulness), "support" (backup and sources listed), and "design and technology" (how it looks and do links work?). The University of California at Berkeley has some interesting criteria for evaluation; for example, "Why was the page put on the Web?" is a very germane question. Is it intended as "satire or parody?" Or is it "appropriate" for the research a student is engaged in? Is it "second hand information" and are there valid links to "more resources"? The most poignant sub-head in the Berkeley list is, "Does it all add up?"
The University of Southern Maine (USM) covers most of the issues other sites cover, but USM does have some original ideas for checking the credibility of...
Underground Railroad was the single most important nonviolent political protest movement in nineteenth century America. Slave rebellions did help to rally the cause for self-empowerment and abolition, but the Underground Railroad led to meaningful, tangible results. The descendants of former slaves who made it to Canada have shaped the fabric of that nation, while the descendants of the former slaves to achieved liberty in their lifetime and lived to tell
Underground railroad, harriet tubman involved underground railroad. history underground railroad state Indiana (Terre Haute). A Run through the Underground Railroad Slavery is one of the most important issues that helped shape American cultural identity, and, throughout time, there have been many famous people who helped slaves escape the terror in the South and reach Free states in the North of the United States of America or even in Canada. Everything started at the
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of aide and assistance for those who would escape the bondage of slavery and seek freedom. Besides the Underground Railroad made famous by American History, other such systems have offered similar services. Until all persons in the world are free, Underground Railroads will operate in order to bring freedom and liberty to all human beings. Anyone who as read Anne Frank's diary knows that
What is the purpose of Foner’s introduction “Rethinking the Underground Railroad”? Brief background on Foner reveals he is a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian. The reason for the book is to relay the intense story of fugitive slaves along with the antislavery activists who went against the law to assist in helping the slaves find freedom. The introduction then helps explain this by talking about Frederick Bailey. Frederick Bailey and four of his
Underground Railroad Functioned and Assess Its Significance During the 1850s, slaves had few alternatives in life --a slave could remain on the plantation of his/her master, come to terms with the idea of a life filled with frequent cruel physical punishments and grueling labor, and the possibility of one's family getting separated, (accompanied by the pain of watching family members being sold away). While this wasn't necessarily the fate all
D.). Therefore, the strength of his convictions and the acceptance of sacrifice create indeed a vivid impression of the character. Moreover, he openly admits the challenges facing his business and his ability to support his family, yet "yet my faith was not shaken, nor my efforts for the slaves lessened"(Coffin, n.d.). The power the belief in a higher authority that offered the blessing on the affairs he conducted represented the
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