I think this goes back to understanding how online publishing allows anyone to
write / say anyone online without the "editorial process" being in place. The
criteria of "who is this person? what are their credentials? what are their biases?
what is their objective?" should still be in place.
If the site that the student visited offered supplemental resources (or hyperlinks
of sites) of where the information was cited / found, then it might be useful
(unbiased) for research; however, it's hard to determine if the blog is just a tool
to create issues / stir-up problems for offending groups or if it is a valid site
for research.
One thing that you might introduce is BlogPulse: http://www.blogpulse.com/profile
which can give you information about how active the site is, who the author is, how
it ranks with other blogs, etc. This would help the students to better understand
how anyone can publish online but how some blogs can be distracting rather than
informative or educational.
Here are some other resources that might help to guide the students in evaluating
blogs:
Ethic in Blogging: http://www.rebeccablood.net/handbook/excerpts/weblog_ethics.html
LJ / Blogging:
http://www.libraryjournal.com/blog/670000067/post/380001238.html
~Shonda
Shonda Brisco, MLIS
US / Technology Librarian
Fort Worth Country Day School
Fort Worth, TX
"Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible and suddenly you are doing
the impossible."
~St. Francis of Assisi
sbrisco@fwcds.org
http://www.fwcds.org/campus/libraries/default.asp
>>> Jacqueline Henry <jhenry@GANANDA.ORG> 12/11/05 11:10 AM >>>
Once again, I am turning to the collective wisdom.
I have been trying to come up with criteria for evaluating blogs. I
realize that many of the same criteria used for websites would apply.
But I can't help but feel that additional criteria are needed. I have
been thinking about this issue for a few months and am really getting no
where. Anyway - I have reached the stage where the "rubber meets the
road" so to speak.
I am currently grading the works cited lists for our major 9th grade
research report. One of the students is researching illegal poaching of
animals. She has cited the following blog entry:
Information about illegal hunting and poaching
Sokwanele Press Release : August 2003
http://www.sokwanele.com/articles/sokwanele/informationaboutillegalhunting_august2003.html
I am at a loss as to how to grade this site according to the 1st two
criteria on my grading rubric:
http://www.gananda.org/library/mshslibrary/wc%20rubric.doc
Accuracy and Authority
Advocacy and Objectivity
What do you think?
Jacquie
"The Librarian, whose job is to heal ignorance, to keep life safe for
poetry and to put knowledge smack dab in the middle of the American
way."
From The Philadelphia Inquirer, 9-20-03
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jacquie Henry, MLS
Ruben A. Cirillo High School (GHS)
Gananda Central School District
3195 Wiedrick Road
P.O. Box 609
Macedon, NY 14502
315-986-3521 x 3144
jhenry@gananda.org
http://www.gananda.org/library/mshslibrary/indexgcl.htm
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