Evaluating Websites Quiz: MCQ!

1. Which website below would you be LEAST likely to use for academic research?

Personal blog.

Corporate website.

CNN news blog.

While personal blogs can be interesting to read, usually the author is providing his own insight on a topic, which is probably biased.

Explanation

While personal blogs can be interesting to read, usually the author is providing his own insight on a topic, which is probably biased.

2. Which are the criteria for deciding if the page's author is credible?

Author has academic credentials supporting the article.

Author has several links to .com websites.

Author is writing about an innovative idea.

If an author has academic credentials that support the subject of the article, this is the best way to decide if the article is reputable. Pages with .com domain extensions can be created by anyone and may not be credible. Lastly, an innovative idea is not necessarily a factual one.

Explanation

If an author has academic credentials that support the subject of the article, this is the best way to decide if the article is reputable. Pages with .com domain extensions can be created by anyone and may not be credible. Lastly, an innovative idea is not necessarily a factual one.

3. Which of the choices is the BEST way to evaluate a website's content?

References are listed, along with links to supporting information.

Website is designed well and easy to navigate.

Date is current.

The best way to evaluate a website is to see that there are references listed with links to supporting information. While date is also a good indication, if there are no references for the information, you can't find out where the author got the information. Also, the design has no bearing on the accuracy of the information.

Explanation

The best way to evaluate a website is to see that there are references listed with links to supporting information. While date is also a good indication, if there are no references for the information, you can't find out where the author got the information. Also, the design has no bearing on the accuracy of the information.

4. What is one way you can tell if an article on a website is academic?

The author has the appropriate credentials.

The article is long and well-written.

The author has written other articles.

The authors of reputable academic articles will have credentials that show they have the educational background to write about the topic. The length of an article and how well it is written do not mean that an article is academic, nor does the fact that the author has written other articles.

Explanation

The authors of reputable academic articles will have credentials that show they have the educational background to write about the topic. The length of an article and how well it is written do not mean that an article is academic, nor does the fact that the author has written other articles.

5. Which of the websites below BEST illustrates bias? You can open each website in a separate tab to answer this question.

Greenpeace.org

CDC.gov

Time.com

Greenpeace would be considered the most biased since the organization has an obvious position on environmental issues.

Explanation

Greenpeace would be considered the most biased since the organization has an obvious position on environmental issues.

6. When is Wikipedia a valid source for research?

Wikipedia is never a valid source.

If the Wikipedia entry has footnotes and references listed.

If the article seems well-researched and well-written.

Well-written and well-researched articles with references are generally good indications of a reputable source. However, since anyone can edit Wikipedia articles, these articles are never a valid sources.

Explanation

Well-written and well-researched articles with references are generally good indications of a reputable source. However, since anyone can edit Wikipedia articles, these articles are never a valid sources.

7. Which answer below is NOT a criterion for deciding if a website is reputable and should be used?

The website includes several links to other reputable websites.

An author is listed.

The website ends in .gov.

A website that links to other reputable websites doesn't mean that the information on its site is reputable.

Explanation

A website that links to other reputable websites doesn't mean that the information on its site is reputable.

8. If a website's content is written in a way that is dense and complex, then the website's content...

Can still be questionable based on other ways to test the website.

Is accurate because the writing is on an academic level.

Is questionable because it's difficult to understand.

Even if the information is written in a complex way and difficult to understand, it doesn't mean the information is questionable. Academic articles are generally written for people who are professionals in that field or who are studying that subject area. You still need to test the information by looking at other criteria, such as using the CRAAP test, mentioned in the tutorial.

Explanation

Even if the information is written in a complex way and difficult to understand, it doesn't mean the information is questionable. Academic articles are generally written for people who are professionals in that field or who are studying that subject area. You still need to test the information by looking at other criteria, such as using the CRAAP test, mentioned in the tutorial.

9. Which of the following choices is an example of currency of information?

The publishing date is this year.

The publishing date is missing.

Publishing date links to current information.

If the publishing date is current, the information is considered current. If the publishing date is missing, then we don't know when the information was written and we may not want to use it. Lastly, links to current information do not indicate that the information on the original page is current.

Explanation

If the publishing date is current, the information is considered current. If the publishing date is missing, then we don't know when the information was written and we may not want to use it. Lastly, links to current information do not indicate that the information on the original page is current.

10. Which website would you NOT use for research?

A website with extensive references but no author listed.

Website with the company as the author but no person listed.

Website with information that is not recent.

If there is no author listed (and remember that an author can be a person or an organization), you should not use the information.

Explanation

If there is no author listed (and remember that an author can be a person or an organization), you should not use the information.