One of the greatest things about the Internet is also one of the most challenging - anybody can put something on the Internet. This low barrier to entry makes for a wonderful place to express oneself, but causes some interesting issues for people looking for information. How does one find good quality information online?
The best tips:
- Good design is no indication of good quality: A site that looks well designed can give people false confidence in the site's information. Good web design is easily copied, so to assess quality, explore further.
- Assess Reputation by prior knowledge, using contact information, and "nerd clues":
- Is the information on a web site you have used before and know to be good?
- Have you read, seen or heard a good review of the site from a reputable source?
- Is there contact information available on the web site? When you use it, are you satisfied with the reply?
- Does the site web address end in .gov or .edu? These web suffixes usually denote a web site from a government body or university.
- How many other sites link to the site. Go to the Google "Who Links to You" feature, copy in the site or page address. The more good sites that link to another site, the better indication of good quality.
- Is the Site Information Balanced?: Does the web site try to fairly portray different sides of an issue? Beware of web sites that seems bent on convincing the world of one point or another.
- Can you find confirmation from at least three reputable web sites?: If the same information keeps on popping up on sites you have establishes as reliable, it is a good indication of quality.
Of course, even if you all use all these techniques, sometimes you may be duped. But, this would be a very rare case.
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