Credibility Assignment
Running Head: CREDIBILITY PAPER
Information Credibility on the Internet
University of Phoenix
CMGTT530
April 17, 2010
Introduction The Internet was designed for the exchange of unrestricted information. When considering the Internet, one distinct feature pertaining to the flow of online information must be understood; unlike traditional media, the Internet has no government or ethical regulations controlling the majority of its available content (Eastin, 2001). When evaluating a web site you have to ask yourself what is it that you’re trying to find or looking for. Whether looking for facts, opinions, statistics, or reports, this will guide you in the process of evaluating the credibility of the page. In this paper, the author will discuss ten ways to determine information credibility on the Internet and why it is important to evaluate this information. Credibility Credibility is the objective and subjective component of the believability of a source or message. Credibility has two components, which consist of trustworthy, and expertise. They are subjective and objective ingredients for a source of a document. A credible person is an expert, experienced and is reliable in their subject matter. To be trustworthy is to be honest and fair. Expertise is having experience, knowledge and competence in the area (Standler, Ronald) There are several tests you can apply to a source to help you judge how credible and useful it will be:
Authorship
An author is someone who has made contributions to a study or a published work. They usually meet certain criteria, such as substantial participation in the design of the study, drafting, and editing of the manuscript as well as giving the final approval. The authors should be knowledgeable in their subject. They are usually well known with credentials. They’re biographical Information should also be available. Their work should have also been reviewed or verified. What motivated the
Information Credibility on the Internet
University of Phoenix
CMGTT530
April 17, 2010
Introduction The Internet was designed for the exchange of unrestricted information. When considering the Internet, one distinct feature pertaining to the flow of online information must be understood; unlike traditional media, the Internet has no government or ethical regulations controlling the majority of its available content (Eastin, 2001). When evaluating a web site you have to ask yourself what is it that you’re trying to find or looking for. Whether looking for facts, opinions, statistics, or reports, this will guide you in the process of evaluating the credibility of the page. In this paper, the author will discuss ten ways to determine information credibility on the Internet and why it is important to evaluate this information. Credibility Credibility is the objective and subjective component of the believability of a source or message. Credibility has two components, which consist of trustworthy, and expertise. They are subjective and objective ingredients for a source of a document. A credible person is an expert, experienced and is reliable in their subject matter. To be trustworthy is to be honest and fair. Expertise is having experience, knowledge and competence in the area (Standler, Ronald) There are several tests you can apply to a source to help you judge how credible and useful it will be:
Authorship
An author is someone who has made contributions to a study or a published work. They usually meet certain criteria, such as substantial participation in the design of the study, drafting, and editing of the manuscript as well as giving the final approval. The authors should be knowledgeable in their subject. They are usually well known with credentials. They’re biographical Information should also be available. Their work should have also been reviewed or verified. What motivated the
References: Eastin, M., S. (2001). Credibility Assessments of Online Health Information: The Effects of Source Expertise and Knowledge of Content. Retrieved April 18, 2010 from http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol6/issue4/eastin.html. Greer, T., Holinga, D., Kindel, C. & Netzik, M. (n.d.). An Educators ' Guide to Credibility and Web Evaluation. Retrieved April 18, 2010 from http://www2.csusm.edu/ilast/webevalart.htm. Standler, Ronald (2009). Evaluating Credibility of Information on the Internet. Retrieved April 17, 2010 from www.rbs0.com Smith, Ted (2009). Critical Evaluation of Information Sources. Retrieved April 17,2010 from tedsmith@uoregon.edu