Week 6 - Evaluation & Authentication

Lecture:

In today's lecture we learned about evaluating a website and also evaluating its authentication. We learned how to judge whether a website contains quality information and also if it is an actual 'real' website or a 'spoof'. Today's lecture helped me learn about analyzing and evaluating websites, and comparing the good websites from the unprofessional websites.

Tutorial:

In today's tutorial I updated minor things in my blog. Today's Workshop contained a lot of readings, but I was not asked to evaluate any of them. Today's workshop and tutorial was all linked to the assignment because the readings all related to the assignment.

Workshop:

The website http://www.ithaca.edu/library/training/think.html
has very valuable strategies when evaluating websites. The criteria that is commonly used when evaluating a website is the Authority,Accuracy, Objectivity,Currency, Coverage and Value. Authority is the owner or the creator of the website. The Accuracy of the website is how accurate the information is and how true it is. The Objective of the website is the aim of the website. The currency is how current the information is, when was the site created etc. The Coverage of the website is how valuable the information is and if it has covered the topic well. The Value of the website is how valuable the website is and if it was worth visiting.

Comparing two Websites

The website A Guide to Critical Thinking About What You See on the Web does have information on the topic of evaluating a website but the website The Good, The Bad and The Ugly does contain more information. There is more information under authority, for example The Good, The Bad and The Ugly mentions that when evaluating a website, you should look for sponsors where as the other website doesn't. The Good, The Bad and The ugly is a website which is much more detailed in comparison to the first one.

Evaluating Websites

Website 1 - AMERICAN CULTURAL HISTORY - http://kclibrary.nhmccd.edu/decade60.html

This Website was designed by Peggy Whitley and written by Susan Goodwin. The information in this website is very accurate because the information in this website is also documented on other websites which demonstrates it's high accuracy. The purpose of the website is to give the reader a broad set of information about American Cultural History in the 1960's. The website was created in 1999 and last updated in 2006 which demonstrates the that the information on the website is still very current. The website is very detailed and gives different aspects of American Cultural History in the 1960's. There is detail about Education, Fashion,Technology etc. The layout and design of the website is set out in an easy to read form. It contains images which support the ideas. The website was definitely worth while visiting because it gave me a detailed overview of American Cultural History in the 1960's.



This is a print screen of the website AMERICAN CULTURAL HISTORY


Website 2 - AMERICAN HISTORY 102: CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT - http://us.history.wisc.edu/hist102/lectures/lecture27.html

This website contains a lot of accurate information about America's history. The information is set out in a concise order which is easily read by the reader. The information is accurate because it is documented in other websites which demonstrates the reliability of the information as well as the website. The website is Author of the website is Stanley K. Schultz who is a Professor of History and this contributes to the credibility of the information. The purpose of the website is to give an overview of America's history to the reader. The website could be more detailed but the information is still very reliable. The website design is in an easy to read format. The website was created in 1999 which means that the currency is still quite current. This website was worth visiting because it gave me interesting information about America's History.



This is a print screen of the website AMERICAN HISTORY 102: CIVIL WAR TO THE PRESENT

Week 5 - Using Search Engines

Lecture:

Today's lecture notes covered the topic 'Using Search Engines'. I learnt about some search engines and Web directories such as Google, Yahoo, Dogpile etc.I learnt about the two Search Tool types, which fall into two categories; Search Engines and Directories.The lecture covered the positives and negatives with using search Engines. The lecture notes covered a great area about Search Engines and Web Directories; even though I am quite familiar with a lot of the information about Search Engines and Web Directories.

Tutorial:

Today's tutorial contained information and a Workshop about Using Search Engines and also about how to search in a specific way. Today's workshop helped me a lot and made me realise how the way you search affects the results you recieve.

Main Points:
- Examples of Search Engines: Google, Clusty, Wisenut, Dogpile, Yahoo
- Google is the most common Web Directory used
- Types of queries: Keyword, Phrase, Boolean, Advanced/engine features

Workshop:

1. Four Strategies that will help me structure a good search are:
- Narrow down a subject or topic before you search it because the internet contains a lot of information and you only need the information on your narrowed topic.
-If you are clear about your topic, start with a Web Directory rather than a Search Engine
- When searching for a topic of interest; such as cats and cat foods, it is better to write it as a phrase rather than two seperate words because writing it as a phrase will give you a more defined search.
- Use quoatation marks when searching for quotes because most search engines can recognise the quote when it has been written with quotation marks.

2. Online Quiz:


I managed to complete the quiz using various search engines aswell as search strategies. I used a variety of search engines as well as search directories. I did find that using search directories was much more complicated in comparison to using search engines. To find my answers, I used the Google Directory, Google Search Engine, Web Wombat Search Engines and Yahoo Search Engine. When I was searching for my information; I rearranged words and phrases which was a major help because it helped me find my answers. I followed some of the search tips given to me to find my results. I did find that the search tips were a major help. I think that the most efficient search engines were Google, Web Wombat and Yahoo. They were easy to use and the information I found was exactly what I needed.

Week Five: Reading 1 - Robert Harris: "Web Search Strategies"

Internet Search Tips and Strategies; is a current internet article written by
Robert Harris. The article has information regarding: Categories of Information on the Web, Search Tool Types, Quick Guide to Choosing a Starting Place, Word Searches With Search Engines and Search Tips. The article is a reliable source which is helpful when trying to find specific information on the web. The site gives advice on Internet Tips and Strategies.

Week Five: Reading 2 - The History of the Internet: (Chap 4 - Search Engines)

This internet article has information about the web's history and the first search engine created for finding and retrieving computer files. It was developed at McGill University (Montreal)by Archie. The website was last updated on the 11th of October 2002, which means the information isnt very current but the topic is history and history can't be changed. Therefore; the information is useful because it has the important key factors of using Search Engines, Search Directories as well as Library Catalogues.

Week Five: Reading 3 - Search Engine Optimisation for Companies

Search Engine Optimisation is a persuasive Internet article, who's aim is to convince small business websites to have a search engine optimization by this specific company. Persuasive language has been used to allure the reader to chose this specific company. There is information on what specific details will be analyzed such as Measuring Your Progress and Key Analysis.

Week 4 - Finding and Using Web-based Resources

Lecture:

Today's lecture covered different aspects about the Web's history. It was interesting to know about the Internet's history because I didn't know about it before. The notes in today's lecture was very clear and straightforward. I think it's important to know a bit about the Internets history. Today's lecture also covered defining the Web.


Tutorial:

Today's tutorial was very easy and it was actually quite fun. Experimenting with different websites and seeing how credible they are was very interesting. I found the workshop very interesting; as well as Educational.

Workshop:


1. The website www.haggishunt.scotsman.com has attempted to be authentic in many forms but there is so much that has given it away. For example; the topic is a haggis hunt and there is pictures of platypuses. Haggis is a Scottish dish which is a steamed pudding made of finely minced sheep heart, lungs and liver. The point of the website is to reward winners when they find a 'haggis'; which is impossible. The website is supposedly from Scotland but there are images of Platypuses; which are Australian; so the 'mysterious' creature refereed to as a Haggis is really a platypus.In the top left corner there is a Haggis Fact which says:'You can prepare haggis in many ways, including the healthy deep fried option.' This is an false fact because you cant prepare a 'Haggis' because Haggis is the name of a particular meal from Scotland. The website is also not designed to be taken too seriously. It seems like a practical joke; rather than an actual website.

The website www.molossia.org is an 'official' website for the micro nation Molossia. The website has not been designed to be taken too seriously and this is demonstrated through a lot of things. The website is represented as a nation but it really is just a micro nation. Micro nations are are unrecognized by world governments or major international organisations. These nations usually exist only on paper, on the Internet, or in the minds of their creators. This means that the website is created by a single person, so it shouldn't be taken too seriously. There is a lot about the history of Molossia; but the majority of the history isn't true. I used the Internet to Google the micro nation and there isn't much history about it.

2. On the website www.martinlutherking.org I expect to find a lot of detailed information on who Martin Luther King is, and I assume he is a major part of history, so there should be a lot of information about the history regarding Martin Luther King.

After visiting the website; he was not who I thought he was. I hadn't heard of Martin Luther King before visiting this website. Martin Luther King was a one of the pivotal leaders of the American civil rights movement. I don't think the website is a very good one because it's not detailed enough. I found out a lot more about Martin Luther King on other website, compared to this one. The website isn't very clearly set out and the information is difficult to find.

Reading 1: A Brief History of the Internet

This website is very efficient because it gives a very good explanation of the Web's history. There are sub - headings such as the Origins of the Internet, a history of the future, the Initial Internetting and many more.The website was last revised December 2003 so the information is still current. There are many references, which contribute to the quality of this website.

Reading 2: History of the Internet, Internet for Historians

This website does contain quite credible information but it seems like its a personal website created by any ordinary person. The Website contains Five chapters; each chapter which each contain quite basic information about the topic. The Website also has Sources of Figures which demonstrates where the information is collected from. The Author of the Website is Richard T. Griffiths; who is from the Leiden University. The Website was last updated in October 2002; which demonstrates that it's still quite current.

Week 3 - Online Libraries and Databases

Lecture:

Today's lecture was based on Online Libraries and Databases. I wasn't too familiar with the topic so I did learn various new things about this particular topic. I found today's lecture very interesting.

Main Points:
1. Advantages of Online databases:
- More than half of the content on the web is hidden and isn't accessible through Google but is accessible through databases.
- You have access to databases and online libraries at home.
-Databases and Online Libraries help narrow down a specific search.

2. Disadvantages of Online libraries and Databases
- It may be difficult to find specific information:
- Some information may be out - dated.

3. Online Databases are similar to Online Libraries.

Tutorial:

In today's tutorial we were given an opportunity to use databases. It was an interesting lesson because I had never used a database before. I used the database Oxford Journals to search the criteria needed. I learned many new skills regarding accessing particular information.

Workshop:



This is a Journal which definetely relates to the topic Economic Impact of Global Warming on Business. I used the Oxford Journals Database to find this article. It relates to the partiular topic because it deals with the issue of economic impact of climate change on African agriculture and how it has become a challenge for farmers due to climate change. The article uses data from a survey and it demonstrates an estimate of how farm net revenues are affected by climate change and it compares them with current mean temperatures.

Search Tips:

1. MetaQuest - Narrows down Databases and is useful because you may advance search a particular topic.

2. There is a variety of different Databases to choose from.

3. You may search by Faculty, Journal Articles, Reserve Readings etc. This gives you a better search option.

4. If you know the author's name or book title, it is much easier to find the data you need.

5. There is a choice of wether you would like to find Databases, Internet Sites or Guides.

6. ProQuest - Is a database which is very efficient because it allows the consumer to choose a date range for their specific search.

7. You are able to do a quick library catalogue search.

8. More than half of the information displayed on the databases may not appear in a search engine such as Google.

9. You may also search Books, CDs and more. This demonstrates that the search criteria does not have to be written.

10.You may limit results to documents with full text, to peer-reviewed publications and to document with images.

Medline Plus:

Medline Plus has a lot of useful information. I did search up various diseases such as cancer, heart disease etc. I think the website would be useful to a target audience of possibly students studying medicine at University. They may need to revise on particular information and I do think the site would be an excellent choice. I also think that mothers may find the website useful because it provides basic information as well as information on intellectual disabilities, so the website may also be useful to parents who have an intellectual child. The site may also be useful people with diseases because they may be interested in finding information on cures as well as the disease itself.



Reading 1: Finding what you want on the web

The Newspaper article 'Finding what you want on the web' reads that there are other ways of searching the internet without using search engines such as Google. The newspaper article is written by technology analyst Bill Thompson. Bill Thomson writes about his attempt to find specific data on the internet without using search engines. He mentions that there are many possible ways of searching the internet without search engines,but he does conclude that he finds search engines such as Google most convenient.

Reading 2: Bare bones Lesson 7: Basic Search Tips:

This particular document is quite helpful because it provides search tips to help the user find specific data. The document has tips such as to use the plus (+) and minus (-) signs in front of words to force their inclusion and/or exclusion in searches. EXAMPLE: +meat -potatoes. It demonstrates how to search particular words to find the information which is needed.

Week 2 - Using Microsoft Office

Lecture:

Today's lecture was rather basic. There wasn't anything in the lecture that I wasnt familiar with. We just learnt basic things such as the Microsoft Applications. I found the today's lecture simple to understand because I was familiar with everything in the lecture.



Tutorial:

In our tutorial today, we were asked to complete a range of tasks in Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. I did learn quite a few new things because we used Windows Vista. I hadn't used Windows Vista before but I found it very straight forward. I did have trouble finding particular things; for example how to create the contents,
but when Hope showed me it seemed very easy. Windows Vista is easier to use; in comparison to Windows XP.

Workshop:



This is a print screen of my finished document in Microsoft Word. I completed each task step by step. I used Photo bucket to upload this print screen and I pasted the HTML code onto my blog. I find Photo bucket very efficient.

Using Microsoft Excel was very simple and I think it is very useful. I was asked to create a table with labels and headings, demonstrating my activities each day, create a chart demonstrating my average hours per week in activity and create a chart demonstrating hours per day social.I found this task very simple to follow. I do admite I did have a few troubles finding where particular things were for e.g creating a chart. I managed to complete the task and I did find it quite simple.





This is a printscreen of my final document in Microsoft Excel. I used Photo Bucket to paste the HTML code of my print screen. This image demonstrates that I have completed the task.

Reading 1:

This document helped me use Microsoft Word. It contained instructions which guided me to complete my Word document. The only problem was that this information was regarding an older version of Microsoft Word, in comparison to the new Windows Vista we are using, but it still helped me set up particular things throughout my document, such as setting up the contents page, etc.

Reading 2 Graphic File Format:

The docoment which reads Adobe Photoshop, is created to serve a purpose, which is to give the reader an understanding of Adobe Photoshop. The subheadings such as Photoshop Document, The Tagged-Image File Format and several more give the reader an understanding of using Adobe Photoshop and the effects of changing particular formats.