During class this week, we learned
that one has to be careful whilst researching on the internet, and make sure
that all their sources are.
A
Google a Day (http://www.agoogleaday.com/)
is a website that challenges its users by having them find the answers to obscure
questions from deep inside the bowels of the internet. Due to my experience
with computers and Google, I found it quite enjoyable and relatively easy,
though there was one question that stumped the whole class. I did learn that
the school internet connection is even worse than I originally thought.
So you’re writing an essay. You
stumble across a website that has a smooth user interface, detailed pictures
and solid information. This research paper is writing itself right before your
eyes. You greedily scroll through the site’s info, eventually reaching the
bottom. You do a double-take. Where are the sources? You click on the sidebar,
frantically searching for something to back up your info, and….nothing. All
your time has gone to waste, using uncitable sources is not a mistake you will
make again. A prime example of a site that appears to be reputable but is in
fact a fake is the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus site: http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/ this
site has no real sources at all, with obviously falsified pictures and low
resolution videos that just scream ‘fake’. However, at quick glance, it can
appear to be real, and can definitely teach a lesson about checking sources on
sites. Then there’s Accuracy, Authenticity, and Reliability.
This is a way to check if a website is legitimate. What one should do first is
to check and see if other websites that are unaffiliated with the one you’re
checking have the same info. That’s Accuracy. Secondly, for Authenticity, one
should check and see if sources are cited on both all sites that have the same
info as this one. Lastly, for Reliability, one should step back and just check
out the site, making sure that it basically looks legitimate and okay to use.
A screencap of the Tree Octopus Site:
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