2/23 Evaluating Websites

Google Search Tools Google Scholar (https://scholar.google.com) searches scholarly literature such as peer-reviewed papers, theses, and publications from academic organizations.

A specialized search tools Google offers

how can I tell whether the person who authored the material is legitimate or a real authority on the subject?

Examining the website to see if the author or editor are identifiable, and their qualifications are listed, is a good way to determine legitimacy. Another method is to look for specific "About us," "Background," or "Biography" content.

Search Another way to refine a search is to use an exact phrase. To search for an exact phrase, place quotation marks around your keywords. The search engine will look for only those websites that contain the words in that exact order.

For example, if Andy wants to search for articles only on weight loss and sodium retention, he could put those phrases in quotation marks.

To search just a specific website, you can use the search keyword, then site: followed by the website's URL.

For example, searching with weight loss site: health.com returns results about weight loss from the Health website.

How do I get a sense of whether the information on a website is biased?

If the author of a site is well known or if the site is from a reputable news source, you know for sure that the information is accurate and appropriate. Stick with sites in the .edu and .gov domains, as they have trustworthy information. There isn't one specific way to identify bias. You need to review the material carefully to determine if the information is one-sided or based on opinion. If the site is hosted by a reputable media source, it is unbiased.

How can I ensure the material is authentic and or timely?

If you can't find the author or a date on a website or webpage, you should avoid it. If the links on the website are outdated or broken, the material on the website shouldn't be trusted. Look for specific information as to dates that reflect when an article was written or when a website was updated. Also, look for the author's name, or an "About Us" section, or biographical information. These features are good indicators of a website's authenticity and timeliness. The web is updated constantly, with new content replacing old. You can always assume anything posted on the web is timely and accurate.

the best Community Forum discussion thread to share with Andy from the choices below.

Keyword search / to search with exact phrases, search within a specific website, or use a wild card character in his search phrase.

I know I should watch for bias if I'm trying to present a neutral argument. What can help me identify a website that contains biased information?

Look for clues of bias such as whether the author/host of the site has a specific political, social, or commercial agenda. Does the information promote the author's own published works or products at the expense of other information? Is the website published by a special interest group?

How do metasearch engines work?

Metasearch engines search only sites that are deemed relevant to a particular subject. Metasearch engines only create an index from which to do an advanced search. Metasearch engines create guides to the internet organized by topics and subtopics. Metasearch engines search other search engines rather than websites.

There are various ways you can refine your searches, including using search strategies to narrow down results.

Metasearch engines search other search engines rather than individual websites and specialty search engines search sites only related to the particular topic or industry. Search tools such as Google Scholar can also help to narrow down results. Before you use an Internet resource, consider the author of the site, whether the source is biased, whether the information is current, the intended audience, and the links it provides.

Search engines Some search engines search the entire web. Metasearch engines search other search engines and generate results that are common to all or that have a high priority. Specialty search engines differ as to which sites they search. Specialty search engines exist for almost every industry or interest. For example, Andy could use the search engines provided by the Food and Nutrition Information Center of the National Agricultural Library for his research.

Metasearch engines search other search engines rather than individual websites. An example of a metasearch engine is Dogpile. Specialty search engines search only sites that are relevant to a particular topic or industry.

My instructor has warned me to make sure the websites I use for my paper are appropriate. How do I do that?

One way to refine your searches is to use the specialized search tools Google offers, including Google Scholar.

What are specialty search engines?

Specialty search engines refine your searches by describing the relationships between keywords in a search. Specialty search engines have a large index and hence offer an advantage when searching hard-to-find information. Specialty search engines search only sites that are deemed relevant to the particular subject. Specialty search engines only search social networking sites for images, and audio and video files.

Except using a metasearch or specialty search engine, any other tools or types of sites that I can use to help narrow search?

There are many alternative search engines.

What strategies can I use with key words to help narrow down the search results?

To improve a search use quotation marks around a search phrase, use wild card characters, or search within a specific website. To improve a search use both Google and Bing. To improve a search use quotation marks to take the place of a letter or letters in keyword. To improve a search, use more than one search engine.

I want to make sure that the information I'm using isn't out of date. Besides looking for a date on the article, what else can I do?

You can use tools in your search engine to filter the search results. Some search engines, such as Google, have a Time filter, so you can choose to see sites that have been created or updated within a certain period of time. Another option is to look for other clues contained in sources, references, or links.

Is there a way to refine the list of results when using a search engine?

You should try using a metasearch engine when you conduct your search. There is no way to refine your search and lessen the list size. You should always make sure you put your search term in brackets. You should be trying using specialty search tools or a specialty search engine to refine your searches.