Reliability of Information Reliability of Information SourcesSources

Reliability criteriaReliability criteria We think that the following three We think that the following three

points are very important:points are very important: the expertise and reputation of the expertise and reputation of

those connected with the websitethose connected with the website evidence of lack of biasevidence of lack of bias evidence of equal emphasis evidence of equal emphasis

towards all aspects of the search towards all aspects of the search topictopic

Before proceeding, list what you Before proceeding, list what you think are the criteria for think are the criteria for establishing the reliability of a establishing the reliability of a website.website.

Expertise and reputationExpertise and reputation If you can see that the website is supported If you can see that the website is supported

by a reputable organisation or contributed by a reputable organisation or contributed to by a person with known expertise then it to by a person with known expertise then it is reasonable to accept the website as is reasonable to accept the website as being reliable. Examples would be where a being reliable. Examples would be where a website giving medical advice was run by a website giving medical advice was run by a government department or a well government department or a well respected charity eg. respected charity eg. NHS directNHS direct at at http://http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.ukwww.nhsdirect.nhs.uk// or or Cancer Cancer Research UKResearch UK at at http://http://www.cancerresearchuk.orgwww.cancerresearchuk.org//

Another more trivial example is that you Another more trivial example is that you would expect to find reliable recipes at would expect to find reliable recipes at Delia Smith'sDelia Smith's website website http://http://www.deliaonline.comwww.deliaonline.com//

Now let's have a look at Now let's have a look at Lack of biasLack of bias......

Lack of biasLack of bias Individuals can be Individuals can be biased biased in their opinions. Even in their opinions. Even

well known experts may well known experts may represent only one represent only one aspectaspect of a topic. of a topic.

Many websites by their very nature present Many websites by their very nature present information from only one viewpoint and are thus information from only one viewpoint and are thus biased. While such information need not necessarily biased. While such information need not necessarily be excluded from the results presented to the client, be excluded from the results presented to the client, you must indicate any identified bias and, if you must indicate any identified bias and, if possible, provide information from other sources possible, provide information from other sources which present opposing points of view. This is which present opposing points of view. This is particularly important when the client is seeking particularly important when the client is seeking information on information on potentially contentious matterspotentially contentious matters such as politics, religion, race or issues related to such as politics, religion, race or issues related to pressure groups.pressure groups.

As an exercise in looking for bias in websites, As an exercise in looking for bias in websites,

search for a pair of websites giving opposing points search for a pair of websites giving opposing points of view on the following topics.of view on the following topics.

- keeping a monkey - keeping a monkey the need for the UK Monarchy- the greenness of the need for the UK Monarchy- the greenness of

nuclear fuel- the usefulness of homeopathynuclear fuel- the usefulness of homeopathy

Opposing viewsOpposing views The following example sites were available at the time of the The following example sites were available at the time of the

latest review of this section.latest review of this section. Opposing views on keeping a monkey as a house pet can be Opposing views on keeping a monkey as a house pet can be

found at found at MonkeyzoneMonkeyzonehttp://www.monkeyzone.comhttp://www.monkeyzone.com// and at and at http://http://www.animaland.org/asp/realissues/exotics.aspwww.animaland.org/asp/realissues/exotics.asp the website the website of of Animal LandAnimal Land. .

Opposing views on the need for the UK Monarchy can be found Opposing views on the need for the UK Monarchy can be found at the official at the official UK Monarchy UK Monarchy site at http://www.royal.gov.uk and a site at http://www.royal.gov.uk and a Marxist perspective at Marxist perspective at http://http://www.marxist.org.ukwww.marxist.org.uk//

Opposing views on the greenness of nuclear fuel can be found at Opposing views on the greenness of nuclear fuel can be found at the the Greenpeace Greenpeace website website http://http://www.greenpeace.org.ukwww.greenpeace.org.uk// and that and that of the of the World Nuclear AssociationWorld Nuclear Associationhttp://www.world-nuclear.orghttp://www.world-nuclear.org//

Opposing views on the usefulness of homeopathy at the site of Opposing views on the usefulness of homeopathy at the site of the the British Homeopathic AssociationBritish Homeopathic Association at at http://http://www.trusthomeopathy.orgwww.trusthomeopathy.org// and the and the National Council Against National Council Against Health Fraud (NCAHF)Health Fraud (NCAHF) Position Paper on Homeopathy found at Position Paper on Homeopathy found at http://http://www.ncahf.org/pp/homeop.htmlwww.ncahf.org/pp/homeop.html

Although the exercise and the results may seem a little trivial, it is Although the exercise and the results may seem a little trivial, it is useful. The problem when you are faced with queries about useful. The problem when you are faced with queries about these sort of contentious issues is that you will initially retrieve a these sort of contentious issues is that you will initially retrieve a site as a result of your information search which gives only one site as a result of your information search which gives only one side of the case. You must then search for the opposite, just as side of the case. You must then search for the opposite, just as you have done here.you have done here.

Now let's look at the issue of Now let's look at the issue of Equal emphasisEqual emphasis......

Equal emphasisEqual emphasis Emphasis differs from bias in that it is Emphasis differs from bias in that it is omission of omission of

information information rather than deliberate over-statement of rather than deliberate over-statement of one point of view. For example, US sites may devote one point of view. For example, US sites may devote little space to British developments. Another pertinent little space to British developments. Another pertinent example in UK public libraries is that sites for UK example in UK public libraries is that sites for UK government departments may include information only government departments may include information only for England on devolved issuesfor England on devolved issues

You should be aware that emphasis You should be aware that emphasis can be more can be more difficult to detect than biasdifficult to detect than bias. A solution is to apply the . A solution is to apply the technique of technique of cross checkingcross checking with other sites on the with other sites on the same topic.same topic.

Look at the government website for the Department for Look at the government website for the Department for Education and Skills at Education and Skills at http://www.dfes-uk.co.ukhttp://www.dfes-uk.co.uk. . Education is a devolved responsibility and thus varies Education is a devolved responsibility and thus varies considerably between the four UK nations. Much of the considerably between the four UK nations. Much of the information on the DfES website applies only to England information on the DfES website applies only to England and sometimes Wales. and sometimes Wales.

Compare the information about Compare the information about literacy strategy in literacy strategy in schoolsschools with that given on: with that given on:

http://http://www.deni.gov.ukwww.deni.gov.ukDepartment of Education Department of Education Northern IrelandNorthern Irelandhttphttp://://

Let's go on now to consider the Let's go on now to consider the accuracy of informationaccuracy of information found on websites.found on websites.

AccuracyAccuracy When you are looking for factual When you are looking for factual

information you can usually assume information you can usually assume that a reliable site based on the that a reliable site based on the points above will attempt to provide points above will attempt to provide correct data. However, mistakes correct data. However, mistakes can be made and you should cross can be made and you should cross check data using more than one check data using more than one reliable site wherever possible.reliable site wherever possible.

Now let's have a look at Currency...Now let's have a look at Currency...

CurrencyCurrency In using the Internet you often come across In using the Internet you often come across

websites which are seriously out of date. In websites which are seriously out of date. In fact some of them are actually abandoned fact some of them are actually abandoned and will never be updated again. When you and will never be updated again. When you use websites in your information searching, use websites in your information searching, you must make sure that the information is you must make sure that the information is current. Of course with a reference book current. Of course with a reference book you can look at the publication date. you can look at the publication date. However for websites it is not just so easy.However for websites it is not just so easy.

Before proceeding, list some points you Before proceeding, list some points you

could look for on a website to establish its could look for on a website to establish its currency.currency.

Let's take a look at some ways of Let's take a look at some ways of Establishing currency...Establishing currency...

Establishing currencyEstablishing currency We can think of a few possible ways of establishing We can think of a few possible ways of establishing

the currency of a website. Obviously they depend the currency of a website. Obviously they depend on finding date information. This can be explicit:on finding date information. This can be explicit:

You can check the You can check the "Last revised""Last revised" date on a date on a website. This is usually found on the first screen. website. This is usually found on the first screen. Note that this may only indicate the last time a Note that this may only indicate the last time a change was made to a particular part of the website change was made to a particular part of the website and that it does not imply that and that it does not imply that all all the content was the content was updated on that date. updated on that date.

You can look to see how recent are the You can look to see how recent are the publication publication datesdates of the documents referred to on the site of the documents referred to on the site

You can look out for You can look out for dates quoteddates quoted within text and within text and make an estimate of currency make an estimate of currency

You might find a You might find a "Forthcoming events""Forthcoming events" list where list where all dates should be in the future, or in the very all dates should be in the future, or in the very recent past. recent past.

In the absence of any explicit date information you In the absence of any explicit date information you may need to look at Indirect methods of establishing may need to look at Indirect methods of establishing currency...currency...

Indirect methods of establishing currencyIndirect methods of establishing currency If there are no actual dates mentioned, you will need to If there are no actual dates mentioned, you will need to

look for more subtle indications that the site is regularly look for more subtle indications that the site is regularly updated.updated.

You can look for You can look for regulations or lawsregulations or laws mentioned in the mentioned in the site and find their dates of introduction. site and find their dates of introduction.

You can look for the You can look for the names of institutions or names of institutions or Government departmentsGovernment departments. These do change name and . These do change name and can be used to give a date range. can be used to give a date range.

You can look for the You can look for the names of personalitiesnames of personalities involved in involved in the topic which can show currency. the topic which can show currency.

Finally you can simply look for reference to Finally you can simply look for reference to recent news recent news itemsitems which will date the site's information. which will date the site's information.

Look at http://www.rosemary-conley.co.uk/index.asp This Look at http://www.rosemary-conley.co.uk/index.asp This is a commercial site promoting Rosemary Conley Diet and is a commercial site promoting Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Clubs. There are two quick ways to check Fitness Clubs. There are two quick ways to check whether the site has been recently updated. Look at the whether the site has been recently updated. Look at the publication date for the current copy of the Rosemary publication date for the current copy of the Rosemary Conley magazine and at the Conley magazine and at the