Website 1: Is College Worth It?
VISUAL
What is it? The URL may be helpful, otherwise, look at the home page for an “About” link.
It is an online news article opinion piece from USA Today. It states at the top that, “This piece expresses the views of its author(s), separate from those of this publication.” Although it’s in a newspaper, opinion pieces are different from journalistic news in that it it’s main purpose is to persuade, rather than just present the facts.
Who made it? Look for an author, or the owner, of the site.
It was written by Janet Napolitano; at the bottom of the article it says she is “the former Arizona governor and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, is the president of the University of California.” Her position as UC president is relevant to the topic and holds expertise in higher education.
The About page says that USA Today was founded in 1982 and is a highly circulated news platform. It is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. USA Today is considered to be a reputable newspaper.
QUALITY
Where did they get their information? Look for sources in the text, or a reference list. If it is original information, think about how the information was created.
Many of the hyperlinks are content from the University of California, such as web pages, reports, news, and press, that address first-generation student support and success. The rest of the links are articles from other media outlets, including Los Angeles Times, New York Times, and NPR, which cover the worth of college and the economy. Other sources linked include a website called Poets & Quants for Undergrads (a social media/higher ed site geared towards business students) and a page of graduation rates from National Center for Education Statistics.
Who is the intended audience? How can you tell? The vocabulary and sources used might give you clues.
It could be prospective college/first generation students and/or their families. Since USA Today reaches a wide readership, one intended audience could be the general public or even state representatives since there are references to supporting higher education and how it benefits the economy or “pays off in multiple dividends”.
How is the information reviewed, or vetted, prior to posting/publishing?
After scrolling to the very end of the page, there is an About section that lists an editor-in-chief in About Us, various editors and fact checkers in Newsroom Staff, their guidelines and commitments in Ethical Principles, and a list of issued updated articles and clarifications in Corrections.
ETHOS
Why does this information, or site, exist? The “About” page may give you clues, but you might want to do some Google searching to learn more.
Since it is an opinion piece, the purpose was to persuade. In determining the intended audience for Quality, the vocabulary in the article was geared towards proving that college is worth it and should be supported. One way this connects to the intended audience is to inspire state representatives to fund higher education or to inspire the public to contact their representatives to support it.
Who has funded the site? Look again at the “About” page.
USA Today is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. and an online search shows that it is a newspaper publishing company with executives and board members. Their website has stock and investor information. USA Today also has quite a bit of advertising, which would bring in revenue.
What bias does the author, owner, or site have? This is going to be the hardest to identify. Start by looking for a distinct perspective, or an asserted opinion.
The author, Janet Napolitano, asserts her opinion that college is worth it and should be supported. While she is biased (due to her position as UC President and not including much about options that don’t include college) it is not in an unfair manner.
Website 2: First Generation Students?
VISUAL
What is it? The URL may be helpful, otherwise, look at the home page for an “About” link.
This is a page on the College Board website about counselling first generation college students. There is no individual name listed so this is a case of an organization as the author.
Who made it? Look for an author, or the owner, of the site.
In the About section the College Board describes itself as a “not-for-profit organization that connects students to college success.” It is governed by a board of trustees and assemblies. The College Board makes its money by charging people to take their tests (SATs, PSATs, etc.) as well as all of the prep classes that go along with these tests.
QUALITY
Where did they get their information? Look for sources in the text, or a reference list. If it is original information, think about how the information was created.
This page only has hyperlinks to other documents and pages on their website, also without an individual author. At the bottom of the website there is a section for Research, which states that the “Research department actively supports the College Board mission.” While links to those pages mention researching various aspects of academia and college and links to research that support their programs, they do not cite the research itself in their webpages. You should be asking -- Why are they not linking to external sources? This is red flag!
Who is the intended audience? How can you tell? The vocabulary and sources used might give you clues.
While college students, their families, and educators may benefit from the information on this webpage, the target audience for this would be counselors. It lists strategies for counselors to guide first-generation students in applying to college.
How is the information reviewed, or vetted, prior to posting/publishing?
Based on the information in the About sections, there is nothing about how information is reviewed before publishing on their general website. While their Research page mentions Research and Psychometrics teams, there is still no mention of how the content on their website is reviewed. On company websites (such as the College Board), typically the marketing department is responsible for the content on their websites. You should ask yourself -- What expertise do marketers have in this area? Another red flag!
ETHOS
Why does this information, or site, exist? The “About” page may give you clues, but you might want to do some Google searching to learn more.
The College Board website has content that promotes sharing and using their programs and resources needed to prepare for and navigate college. In this case, the web page is encouraging counselors to talk to first generation students about AP classes, take standardized tests, and to point them to College Board articles.
Who has funded the site? Look again at the “About” page.
Their about page states they are a not-for-profit. An online search shows that they are quite profitable and make millions.
What bias does the author, owner, or site have? This is going to be the hardest to identify. Start by looking for a distinct perspective, or an asserted opinion.
The College Board has a stake in students and educators using their programs and resources, which is how they make revenue. They have a vested interest in getting students to apply to college so that they have to take their tests. They have a financial incentive to make signing up for their tests as easy as possible -- another red flag that should make you look critically at the information they provide.
Now -- ask yourself: which of these two sites (the opinion piece from USA Today and the College Board website) would be ok to use for general background information for a GEL research assignment?
Review:
We learned how to evaluate information resources using the Visual, Quality, Ethos assessment technique.
You can use this technique to work on your upcoming GEL Information Literacy Unit Research Assignment (as well as any other information you may encounter).
Next, we’ll go over the Analyze portion of the research process and we’ll learn how to effectively read scholarly articles.