English
434: Using, Evaluating, and Citing WWW Resources
You are of course free to utilize
information obtained from web sites in your research project. You
have already surfed some of the sites linked to the course homepage, and
I encourage you to look for additional sites relevant to your topic.
Evaluating web sites can be tricky.
Whereas print sources generally cannot be published without passing through
a fairly extensive process of expert evaluation and review that guarantees
a basic level of reliability, material on the WWW often lacks that guarantee.
But that in turns mean that taking the trouble to assess a site is especially
important.
Some questions to consider in evaluating
a site:
-
Who maintains or sponsors the site?
Is it an individual? a group? an organization or institution? What do you
know about the reputation or credentials of the individuals and institutions
involved?
-
Have you arrived at the site by following
a link from another site you have reason to regard as reputable and reliable?
-
When was the site last updated? Is it
updated regularly?
-
Has the site received awards? If so,
for what and from whom?
To cite online sources in your Works
Cited list, I’m afraid you won’t be able to rely on the MLA Handbook.
MLA guidelines for citing such sources have changed since the publication
of the Handbook, so I will provide a brief handout with examples.
For fuller information and additional examples your best bet is to go to
the MLA’s web site.