Module 7

COMPUTER HOAXES

There are still enormous sources of misinformation on the world wide web, so how can you determine what is good information and what is bad information?

Respond:

It is difficult nowadays to trust information that is inside the web. To determine good or bad information, one must consider the following criteria:

 (according to http://lib.nmsu.edu/instruction/evalcrit.html

-Authority

Is the sponsor of the page reputable? If the page includes neither a signature nor indicates a sponsor, is there any other way to determine its origin? These are some of the questions to analyze the authorization of the page you are viewing information with. Anyone can publish anything on the web. Even if a page is signed, qualifications are not usually provided so must be cautious with from whom we are getting our information’s.

-Accuracy

Is the information reliable and error-free? Is there an editor or someone who verifies/checks the information? Unlike traditional print resources, web resources rarely have editors or fact-checkers. Currently, no web standards exist to ensure accuracy though.

-Objectivity

Does the information show a minimum of bias> Is the page designed to sway opinion? Is there any advertising on the page? Frequently, the goals of the sponsors/authors are not clearly stated.

-Currency

Is the page dated? When was the last update? How current are the links? Publication or revision dates are not always provided. That’s why one must be wary about dates.

-Coverage

What topics are covered? What does this page offer that is not found elsewhere? What is its intrinsic value? How in-depth is the material? Web coverage often differs from print coverage.  Frequently, it's difficult to determine the extent of coverage of a topic from a web page. The page may or may not include links to other web pages or print references. Sometimes web information is "just for fun", a hoax, someone's personal expression that may be of interest to no one, or even outright silliness.