The document discusses various types of electronic information sources and their selection criteria. It covers internet resources like search engines, subject specific and meta search engines. It also discusses criteria for evaluating websites and web resources. Other electronic sources covered include CD-ROMs, DVDs, video discs, games, online databases and online journals/magazines. Selection criteria discussed for each include scope, authority, accuracy, audience, design, ease of use, content and quality.

1. Electronic Sources
Selection Criteria

2. Internet
Worldwide group of connected networks
that allow public access to information
and services

3. THE WORLD WIDE WEB
Search Engines – is a program that finds
web sites and web pages.
ex,.
Search engine web address
Alta vista altavista.com
Google google.com
Yahoo yahoo.com

4. Different Search Engines
General
Subject specific
Meta

5. General Search Engine
 Are the ones that get the most press, have been
around the longest and are therefore the most
familiar to most internet users
Examples
 HotBot
 AltaVista
 Google
 Lycus
 Excite

6. Subject Specific Search Engine
 May focus on a particular subject, topic, or geographic
area
 Work just like general ones but are more limited in scope
 Work well in many cases due to a narrower focus than
general search engine have
Examples
 GovBot
 EuroSearch
 James Kirk search engines

7. Meta Search Engine
 Allow you to enter keywords that are then sent off to
other search engines (general ones, subject specific
ones, or a combination of both. In many cases Yahoo! Is
included since it is the most comprehensive directory
available)
 Allow users to access the benefits of multiple database
of indexed pages in an easy to use interface
Examples
 Inference Find
 MetaCrawler
 Copernic

9. Evaluating Internet Resources
Purpose
Authority
Scope
Audience
Cost
Format

10. Examining Specific Items on a Web Site
 URL (Uniform Source Locator)
 Date
 Contact Information
 Home Button for Context
 Searchability
 Link to a larger organization
 Load time
 Overall Site design
 Advertisements
 Graphics and Color
 Printing
 Hit Counters
 Awards
 Privacy policy

11. URL (Uniform Source Locator)
 A URL is the address used to specify
the location of a resource that is
available electronically
Examples
1. www.bcr.org/~msauers/classrooms.html
2. www.webpan.com/msauers/Modesitt/
3. www.bcr.org/~ids/Reference/

12. Top Level Domain (TLD)
.COM – originally used for commercial
organizations
.NET – Internet-related companies such as ISPs
.ORG – Not-for-profit organizations
.EDU – for educational institutions
.GOV - government
.MIL - military
.INT – International organizations

13. Website
Refers to a collection of pages of
documents accessible on the World Wide
Web (WWW or the Web)
Examples
 http://www.evalutech.sreb.org/criteria/video.asp
 http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?prd=ie&pver=6&ar=msnhome
http://www.msn.com/

14. Guidelines for Evaluating the Value of a Web Site
 Affiliation – A reputable institution should support
the Web site without bias in the information.
 Audience – The web site should be written at the
appropriate level.
 Authority – The web site should list the author
and the appropriate credentials
 Content – The Web site should be well organized
and the links should work.
 Currency – The information on the web page
should be current
 Design – The pages at the Web site should
download quickly and be visually pleasing and
easy to navigate
 Objectivity – The Web site should contain little
advertising and be free of preconceptions.

15. Selection Criteria for Website
 Are the ff info provided?
1. Name of sponsoring organization or individual
2. Their qualifications
3. Full mailing address
4. E-mail address
5. Date the pages were created
6. Date the info was updated
7. Copyright info

16.  Is the purpose clearly stated?
 Does the website fulfill its purpose?
 Accessibility
 Updated links
 Does the design add to the appeal for the
intended audience?
 Is there a link back to the homepage?
 Is a table of contents or outline provided for
longer documents?
 Has the site been reviewed? What does it say?
 Are the icons helpful in locating information
 If it offers a fee-based service, is it a justified and
reasonable price?

18. What is a Laser Disc?
The laserdisc (LD) was the first
commercial optical disc storage medium,
and was used primarily for the
presentation of movies as to be viewed at
home.

19. Laser Discs
 LASER DISCS
 RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD - The 1984 cult classic horror comedy. In big demand and long out of
print. Click the thumbnail at left for a closer look at the jacket art - $29
 HORROR HOTEL - Christopher Lee. Letterbox edition - $15
 GHOST CHASE - 1988 adventure fantasy - $8
 THE THING - 1990 John Carpenter version. Letterbox - $12
 F/X - 1986 thriller - $8
 FRIGHT NIGHT - 1994. Deluxe Widescreen edition - $12
 FIRE IN THE SKY - 1993 alien abduction thriller. Widescreen edition - $8
 MIDNIGHT KISS - 1992 Supernatural vampire thriller - $8
 SPECIES - 1995. Deluxe letterbox edition - $10
 POPCORN - 1991. Campy movie marathon turns into a night of terror - $18
 DEATH BECOMES HER - 1992. Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Bruce Willis fantasy. Letterbox - $12
 CREEPSHOW - 1982. George A. Romero and Stephen King classic. 2 disc widescreen - $20
 DR. X & MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM - Two 2-strip Technicolor classic films from 1932. Special
double feature set. Rare and a treat to watch - $49
 DINOSAUR ISLAND - 1994 Roger Corman - $24

 THE MONSTER CLUB - From Thriller Video and hosted by Elvira. An excellent series of four tales of
ghouls and vampires told by vampire Vincent Price to victim John Carradine. Click the thumbnail at left
for a closer look at the jacket art - $19
 THE EXORCIST - 1973. Linda Blair. 2 disc - $12
 HALLOWEEN - 1978. John Carpenter horror classic. Criterion Collection. Letterbox, 2 disc - $24

20. CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING VIDEODISCS
Accuracy:
Error-free information
Current information
Objective, balanced presentation of information
Bias-free viewpoints and images
Balanced representations of cultural, ethnic, and racial groups
Correct use of grammar, spelling, and sentence structure (if applicable)
Appropriateness:
Concepts and vocabulary relevant to students' abilities
Interaction compatible with the physical and intellectual maturity of
intended audience
Scope:
Information of sufficient scope to adequately cover the topic for the
intended audience

21. Quality:
Appropriate, high quality visuals
Sound that is clearly understandable and consistent in
quality and volume
Sound and music that is relevant to visual images
Sufficient amounts of information and visuals to justify
the cost and use of the medium
Multitrack audio options (eg. other languages)

22. Technical Aspects
Navigation:
Information and visuals arranged by chapters or sequences
when appropriate
Random access to information and visuals available through
a variety of methods (remote control, computer program,
player controls, barcode reader)
Speedy access to information and images on the disc
Presentation:
Information presented through text, full-motion video,
still images (slides, diagrams, drawings, paintings), sound
Captions, labels, or legends for visuals

23. CD-ROMS
Can provide access to very large
quantities of digitally encoded information
at relatively low cost

24. CD-ROM Selection Criteria
 How frequent is it updated?
 Does the cost of the subscription include the
update?
 I there an annual fee?
 Are on-screens tutorials provided? Are they
comprehensive?
 Will a bundled package of applications rather
than individual ones serve your purposes?
 Is the menu system easy to use?
 Speed.

25.  Is there a significant number of hours of information and
learning?
 Are the advertisement and promotional materials accurate
about the number of minutes or hours of full-motion video,
hi-fi audio, number of photographic images, and amount
of text?
 Is it interactive in the sense that users can explore
options?
 Quality of audio and video production.
 What are the technical quality of the underlying program,
the manual, and the support personnel?
 Does it contain high quality of info?

26. DVD (Digital Versatile Disc)
DVD, formerly referred to as Digital Video
Interactive, is a compact optical-disc
format for digital storage and playback of
full-motion video.
It can hold cinemalike video, audio, and
computer data

27. Selection Criteria for DVDs
Is the standards to judge the content of the
same quality as for other materials in the
collection?
Are the discs and the players compatible?

28. Games
It is a simplified model of real-life situation.
Provides students to participate in a
variety of roles and events.

29. Selection Criteria for Games
Is the packaging designed to store and
quickly identify missing parts? Can lost
prices be replaced locally?
Are the items durable?
Are the directions clear?
Are the content, reading level, time
requirements, and required dexterity
appropriate for the intended audience?

30. Does the game require a computer? Will it
run on the media center’s equipment?
Cost and Scope

31. Online Databases
Provides electronic access to info through
the use of a computer with a modem
connected to a telephone line.

32. Selection Criteria for Online Databases
 Audience
 Scope
 Indexing
 Can it be a free-text searched?
 Can it be searched using Boolean logic?
 Cross-references
 Frequency of update
 Accuracy
 What years does the database cover?

33. Services offered by the vendor
Clear documentation
Is there a print version?
Is the screen easy to read?
Are orientation materials available?
What are the sources of information?
Criteria in creating the database
Accessibility

34. On-line Journal and Magazines
 http://www.ebcsohost.com/this Topic.php?marketID=1&topicID=157
 http://ucelinks.cdlib.org:8888/sfx_ucsf/a-
z/default?perform=searchCategories&type=browseSubCategory&cu
rrent_view=table&service=&category=16&subcategory=215
 http://psych.hanover.edu/Krantz/journal.html