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HIST 32 - Women & U.S. Culture: Searching the Web

Web Resources

Do not use Wikipedia. Dr. Bengiveno does not allow Wikipedia.

Use accurate and authoritative websites.

Suggest looking for information from universities with an .edu ending or from museums or libraries.

Evaluating Websites

The quality of the information you find on the Web varies tremendously so it is always a good idea to check the information against another source. As with all information resources, whether in print or on the Internet, you evaluate its quality based on the following criteria:

  • Accuracy (Is it free from mistakes and errors?)
  • Authority (What are the qualifications of the author?)
  • Objectivity (Is there any strong bias?)
  • Currency (Is the information up to date?)
  • Coverage (To what extent is the topic explored?)

A first step in evaluating information on the web can be done by just looking at the URL. Reliable websites to use for academics generally end in .edu, or .gov.

Website Domain Names

.com - commercial business

.net - network organizations  

.org - organizations (nonprofit)  

.edu - educational institutions  

.gov - government agencies  

.mil - military

.ca.us - state government

 

Here's more information on Evaluating Websites: