The internet is filled phony and misguiding information. It's old news, but how good are you at evaluating content?
Regular readers and web surfers [does anyone still say 'surfing'] develop a sense for decent content with reliable sources, but what about your beginners and intermediates? Are they still getting duped?
Lifehacker have a good beginner's guide. It's all about developing the instinct and sense to pick bad sources.
Determining the authority of any particular site is especially vital if you're planning on using it as a source for an academic paper or research project. Ask yourself these questions about the website in question:For the most part, you can read through the web, taking it all in with a grain of salt; but if you need to cite sources or gain some reputable information, be sure to check the validity.
- Is it absolutely clear which company or organization is responsible for the information on the site?
- Is there a link to a page describing what the company or organization does and the people who are involved (an "About Us" page)?
- Is there a valid way of making sure the company or organization is legit - meaning, is this a real place that has real contact information (email only is not enough)?
Seek and Ye Shall Find: How To Evaluate Sources on the Web - [Lifehacker]
