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Lesson 7:
Evaluating
Information

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man fencing online databases versus the world wide web
 
 

Will the web give me the same information I can find in the library online databases? no
It comes down to quality. You may find some good information on the World Wide Web, but online databases are specifically designed for research.

In case you don't believe us, check out the differences between scholarly journal articles found in library online databases and material found on the web:

Online Databases The World Wide Web

articles written by experts

anyone can publish material

information goes through an editorial or review process no editorial or review process (mostly)
includes author's credentials author often a "mystery person," identity unverifiable

published by professional scholarly societies or academic presses

you must apply the same five evaluation criteria to every site

 

Who Publishes on the World Wide Web?

Though the web was originally designed as a means to exchange military and scientific research data, it has since become a commercial playground.

Those with limited technical knowledge can put almost anything on the web for almost any purpose. The following entities publish freely and equally on the World Wide Web:

star

government

star

companies

star
children
star universities star advocacy groups star political candidates
star libraries  star associations star criminals

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