Ways Of Determining Information Credibility On The Internet
Introduction
This century has been through a lot of evolutionary procedures such as advanced use of the internet as a source of information for scholars, businessmen and customers. Students and their instructors often visit the various websites to gather academic materials for their course work, as well as, material for completing assignments while instructors use the internet to obtain updated information which supplements that present in books. Students who are aspiring to purchase ready made assignments and other stationary also seek the information on the internet as there is a wider arena of information regarding various resources that may be useful to them. Information that is posted on the internet is often not overly credible as the intents and purpose of the website determines the quality of information posted there. Thus there is need to understand the various criterion which can be used to analyze the various sites.
Discussion
Ways of determining credibility of the information on the internet
One way of determining credibility of information that is obtained form the internet is the rate at which the site is updated. This is especially critical for academic sites such a Google Scholar as students rely on the research findings of the site to carry out their course work. Hence outdated data being posted in the site will lead to low credibility as the quality of the assignment or project will be flawed due to usage of data that is not up to date. Consequently, the student or instructor may be aiming at purchasing a book or literary article which could be portrayed on the site yet the stock of the same could be depleted. Therefore, frequent updating of the site reduces such inconveniences to visitors and customers of companies running the websites (Business, Humanities, and Social Sciences Department, Hamilton Library, 2007).
The other equally important quality of information obtained from the internet is the date when the information was posted. Books and research articles should include the date of publishing and posting such that the person seeking information from those sources may analyze the validity and reliability of the site. Information which was posted ten years ago is less valid as compared to that which was posted last year. Hence the lifespan of information on the site is important (Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab, 2004).
Similarly, presence or absence of peer reviews determines credibility of information as most scholarly articles have peer reviewed sections which contain the views of other writers on the article. The peer reviews provide critique approaches to the article and information contained in is, as well as, any other information that is presented by the site (Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab, 2004).
Consequently, credible sites which are informative should portray at least several contacts of the writer or contributor such that those seeking clarifications can contact them easily. This also includes professional credentials such as the career and other achievements of the author such that a newcomer to the site will be in a position to relate the information on the site to the work of the author (Business, Humanities, and Social Sciences Department, Hamilton Library, 2007).
Incredible informative sites on the internet are depicted by presence of incomplete links which lead nowhere such that a visitor seeking more information gets to a dead end. Such links are aimed at diverting the attention of the reader hence they lose track of their course and are made to believe that the page has all details that makes it qualify for credible site. This is also depicted by the physical appearance of the page such as presence of funny font’s styles and image that are not related to the content (Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab, 2004).
Credible information of the internet should include relevant references which have been used to compile information on the site. The nature of references should be recent and valid such that a student can obtain them from the library to verify the contents of the internet page. Inaccessible references rules out any prior thoughts of credibility as it proves the information as being false (Business, Humanities, and Social Sciences Department, Hamilton Library, 2007).
The references, in addition to, being accessible should be relevant and related to the information that is portrayed on the site. In this regard, information on global warming should not include references which are based on HIV Aids prevalence as the two are not related in any way (Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab, 2004).
Similarly, the information contained in the sites especially information regarding an item that is being marketed should be accurate. Accuracy is a determining factor for credibility of a site as customers who have been disappointed by the finding of a certain site will loose trust on the information due to presentation of misleading information (Business, Humanities, and Social Sciences Department, Hamilton Library, 2007).
Hence in order for owners of internet sites and researchers to assure the clients that their information is credible, they should conduct intense research on the topic to ensure that they have obtained concrete facts on the issue and that these facts can be proved. Similarly, evidence should be provided for the same through incorporation of figures and tables that are relevant (Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab, 2004).
Credible information from internet sites should contain appropriate objectives as to why certain information ahs been placed there. Vague objectives lower validity of the information as there will be no clear indication as to who should benefit from the information hence it becomes obsolete (Business, Humanities, and Social Sciences Department, Hamilton Library, 2007).
Values and ethics in the workplace
Values and ethics in the workplace refer to a set of rules which are present in all institutions, as well as, organizations where they instill harmonious running of everyday activities. Ethics and values in the workplace reduces occurrence of conflicts as all members of the entire organization are knowledgeable of their responsibilities and the extent to which they should get with their daily activities. Employees who are made aware of their limits and hence many conflicts are avoided. This enables the workmates to live harmoniously with each other such that the vision and mission of an organization are achieved with minimal efforts (Martin, 2007).
Ethical values are part of management’s tools that are used to bind employees together while at the same time ensuring that each and everyone in an organization is made aware of the correct protocol employed when handling certain organizational issues. Consequently, the culture of an organization is enhanced through incorporation of appropriate values that instill discipline and admirable norms which reduce chances of high employee turnover. Such an environment boosts the creativity and innovations which are part of ensuring that employees are committed to the responsibilities delegated to them in the workplace (Martin, 2007).
References
Business, Humanities, and Social Sciences Department, Hamilton Library, (2007),”Evaluating World Wide Web Resources,” In “Evaluating Information,” Basic Library Research Handbook,3rd ed. University of Hawai‘i Libraries, Chapter 7, pp. 7-5 – 7-6
Martin, G. (2007), Human values and ethics in the workplace. Glenn Martin Publishers
Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab. (2004). The web credibility project. Retrieved 30 October 2004 from http://credibility.stanford.edu/.
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