Searching and evaluating internet resources

1. Researching and
evaluating
internet
resources
Tayyaba Maher
BEDF19M015
BS EDUCATION

2. Internet
Resource
s
• Internet Resources means
all Domain Names,
electronic addresses,
uniform resource locators
(URL) and other online
resources.
• Internet - web
• Resources - sites and
applications

3. Internet Search
Strategies
There are some steps:
• Define your purpose
• find a reliable search engine
• identify keywords
• use Boolean operators to narrow your
search results
• review the results you retrieve to answer
your research question

4. Internet Resources
• Unlike similar information found in newspapers or television
broadcasts, information available on the Internet is not regulated
for quality or accuracy
• therefore, it is particularly important for the individual Internet user
to evaluate the resource or information.
• Keep in mind that almost anyone can publish anything they wish
on the Web.
• It is often difficult to determine authorship of Web sources, and
even if the author is listed, he or she may not always represent
him or herself honestly, or he or she may represent opinions as
fact.
• The responsibility is on the user to evaluate resources effectively.

5. Anyone can print anything
on the Internet
• Internet sources must be evaluated to assure their
authenticity and relevance because Web sites and
pages do not go through the intensive editing
processes that traditional print and visual resources
do.
• Therefore, YOU, the user, must learn to assess the
validity of the sources you use in your research.
• Don’t be fooled into believing that just because it’s on
the Internet, it’s true. In essence, don’t believe
everything that you read!

6. Criteria for Evaluating
Internet Sources
• CARRDSS is an acronym used to help remember
important steps in the process of evaluating information.
 C Credibility
 A Accuracy
 R Reliability
 R Relevance
 D Date
 S sources
 S Scope

7. CREDIBILITY
• CREDIBILITY – The quality and
capacity of belief.
• Who is the author?
What are his or her credentials?
Education?
Experience?
• What evidence is offered of his or her
knowledge?

8. Examine
the
Domain
One good way to assess the credibility
of an authority or web site is to examine
the URL
• edu = college or university
• gov = government agency or
organization
• org = non-profit organization
• mil = military organization
• com = commercial organization
• info = general information site
• net = network provider
• int = intergovernmental organization

9. Authority
• Authority refers to the reliability and
credibility of the source.
• What are the author’s qualifications?
• Is the author or source affiliated with a
reputable organization?
• Is there a contact person listed?
• Is there evidence of quality control?

10. Accuracy
• refers to the reliability of the information.
• To examine the quality of the content on the site, ask the following questions:
Is the information
• Dependable?
• Error-free?
• Documented?
• Accurate?
• Comprehensive?
• Understandable?
• Is it grammatically correct?
• Are there any spelling errors (i.e., spelling, grammar, facts)?

11. Reliability
• Does the site present an opinion,
point of view, bias?
• Is this opinion clearly stated?
• What is it? Example: this site is an
anti-smoking, anti-tobacco site.
• In the “about us” section it says that
the purpose of the site is to teach
teenagers not to smoke. I
understand the opinion and it is fine
for my research.
• Is the information affiliated with an
organization that has a particular
political or social agenda

12. RELEVANCE:
Does this information help to answer my question?
Is it in-depth?
Is it too hard, too easy, or just right?
Yes or no answers are fine for the first part, then rate the level of the
information.
Can it be eliminated or ignored because it simply does not help?

13. DATE:
• DATE – The time at which an information
source is published or produced.
• When was the information created?
• Was it revised?
• Does this project need current, up-to-date
information?
• When was it last updated?

14. Sources
SOURCE – A primary reference work or point of origin.
• Is the information based on primary or secondary
sources?
• Did the author document his or her sources?
• What kind of links or further reading did the author
choose?
• Does the site have a Works Cited or Bibliography?
• If they are links, do they still work?
• Yes or No answers are fine. Elaborate if needed.

15. SOURCE &
PURPOSE
• SOURCE & PURPOSE – The range of
information on a given topic and the
reason behind its creation.
• Does this source address the thesis in
a comprehensive or peripheral way?
• Is it material that can easily be read
and understood?

16. Finally,
These questions should be posed each
time a research source is considered.
If the source does not pass any element
of the CARRDSS test, it should not be
used.
Before blindly accepting whatever, you
find on the internet as fact, take the time
to review the information for CARRDSS.

17. Thank
You For
your
Attention