Fact or Fiction?The World Wide Web and the tricks it will play on you.

“Fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again‘” Former President George W. Bush“…the internet is not something you just dump something on. It's not a truck. It's a series of tubes.”Former Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska)

The Internet: A bunch of computers that transfer information back and forth using fiber optic cables and telephone linesWeb Browser: A software platform you use to search the internet (Firefox, IE, Netscape)Search Engine: The page you start at to begin your search (Google, Ask.com, Yahoo, MSN, AltaVista)Directory: Site where people determine the main subject of a Web page and categorize it based on topics and subtopics used by that directory (DMOZ) Anatomy of your WEB

The Internet: A bunch of computers that transfer information back and forth using fiber optic cables and telephone lines

Web Browser: A software platform you use to search the internet (Firefox, IE, Netscape)

Search Engine: The page you start at to begin your search (Google, Ask.com, Yahoo, MSN, AltaVista)

Directory: Site where people determine the main subject of a Web page and categorize it based on topics and subtopics used by that directory (DMOZ)

.edu.gov.mil.org.com.net.uk/~ (personal page) (http://infolab.stanford.edu/~sergey/booklist.html)If link doesn’t work, back-track to root (http://lwtclearningcommons.com/education-resources/)Anatomy of a URL

.edu

.gov

.mil

.org

.com

.net

.uk

/~ (personal page) (http://infolab.stanford.edu/~sergey/booklist.html)

If link doesn’t work, back-track to root (http://lwtclearningcommons.com/education-resources/)

Ask for EXACTLY what you want!Quotes “” around phrasesWildcards * for variations (Invest*) (Auto*) Excluded words – for unwanted wordsBoolean – AND, OR, NOTNumerical ranges …Advance Search is funThe Power of Searching

Does it stack up?Pro = If you have fingers, you can writeCon = If you have fingers, you can writeHistory Tab tells allUse as a jumping off point…But what about Wikipedia?

What’s at stake? How reliable does my information have to be?What can the URL tell you in a search result?What do others say about the page? Who links to it? Owns it?Why was this page put on the web?Inform with facts/data?Share/disclose information?Entice/sell products?Explain/persuade one point of view over another?Is this the website I want to use?

What do I look for?The Big 4Authority:Anyonecan publish on the web! Accuracy: Reliable and Error-Free?Bias/Objectivity: Both sides of issue present?Timeliness/Currency: When was last update?

Authority:Anyonecan publish on the web!

Accuracy: Reliable and Error-Free?

Bias/Objectivity: Both sides of issue present?

Timeliness/Currency: When was last update?

Coverage: Is the site complete? Is it comprehensive?Efficiency: Is access to the site consistent?Appearance: Do the graphics support or deter? Overloaded by movement?Links: Do the links work?Navigability: Is it clear how to navigate the site?Quantity: Is there too much information to process?Requirements: Do you have to install, download, register? Personal Information?Other factors to consider…

Type in the URL you picked outNote your first impressionsEvaluate the site for the Big 4AuthorityBiasAccuracyTimelinessAt what point did you have your “AH-HA-HA-HA” moment?Give it a try!

Type in the URL you picked out

Note your first impressions

Evaluate the site for the Big 4

Authority

Bias

Accuracy

Timeliness

“I wasn't born a fool. It took work to get this way.” –Danny Kaye"Colleges don't make fools, they only develop them.” – George LorimerGo forth and search the Web