Research Tool

Documentation

 

When it comes down to the topic of credentials and credibility, sources that fit this criteria usually cover the aspect of education evaluation. Education is the foundation of weather a person is best equipped for a specific position of interest.  When researching the different aspects of evaluating a specific candidate for a  position, it is important to research the Universities he/ she has attended. With the images provided it is shown how vital a degree and transcript is towards a specific candidate. These forms of documentation show whether the candidate undergone necessary training in order to best accommodate the requirements for a cooperation, organization etc. In this case we are discussing the research tool ( Whosebehindtheletters.org). The process of recruitment as an analyzer requires strict evaluation. Credentials and credibility requirements must be met. An example of a degree and transcript shows partitions of the evaluation process.

Powerpoint creates the perfect visualization of how this process will improve the researching experience. Each slide address a brief explaination on how “Whoesbehindtheletters.org”  will improve the acuarcy of information being referance in research papers, studies etc. Referencing Wikipedia provides a small insight on the extent of unreliability provided on certain sites.

This project shows how Wikipedia, as well as other research tools can be improved to avoid misinformation. Program engineers can establish certain guidelines that must be followed in order to post information online. Certain levels of education about a specific subject must be attained. This can be done by asking for an authentic diploma, and making sure that the diploma came from a college or university accredited by NCATE and TEAC.

Each step explains in a very detailed manner how to be sure that your candidate has met his

 

or her credentials and credibility requirements.

 

Step 1: Having the candidate send a transcript verifying grades and classes taken in order to achieve the diploma. Researching the school and the candidates attendance can be an extra step taken just to reassure the candidates attendance with the educational institution.

 

Step 2: Be sure to check the schools credentials. To make sure you’re dealing with a degree holding professional it would be best to review a list of comprehensive accredited schools through the Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs.

 

Step 3: Its important to be aware of the programs credentials. The Colleges and universities that are granting these degrees should be accredited by National Council of Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) or The Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC), Both recognized by Department of Education.

 

Step 4: Be aware of candidates holding degrees from other countries. To begin your research look into the given country’s higher education accrediting procedure on its federal website and go to its Department of Education.

  However, users must pay attention to what they read or where the information comes from. Users must never forget that information posted by an unknown author lacks credibility and reliability.

Here are a few ways to evaluate weather information found on the website are reliable:

 

1) Being that anyone with access to a server can publish on the web. It is vital to be able to identify the author of a web document and verify his or her qualifications to write on the topic. pay attention on if there is author listed.

 

2) Is there any way of getting more information about the author from this site?

 

3) Are the author’s credentials provided? Is he or she qualified to write on this subject?

 

4) Is contact information provided for the author?

 

Tips on determining the credentials on a author:

Go to the homepage of the website that contains the document and search for the author’s name and his or her affiliation with the site.

 

In terms of identifying the publisher and sponsor of the site its very important to take certain things into consideration:

 

1) Is there a link at the top or bottom of the page linking back to information about the website’s publisher or sponsor?

 

2) From examining the website’s URL, can you determine if the page is part of someone’s personal account or part of an official site?

 

3) Can you determine if the information has been published elsewhere, such as in a scholarly journal?

 

4) Does the document have consistent headers or wallpaper that imply an association with a larger website?

 

By examining a website’s URL you are able to learn more about the type of website you’re exploring and where the information comes from. Components of a URL include:

 

.edu – educational institution

 

.net – network provider

 

.gov – government agency

 

.org – non-profit organization

 

.com – commercial enterprise

 

Once a web document is placed on a server, it will remain there until it is either removed or the server is turned off. Information available on the web is not guaranteed to be up to date. The question on how current information is usually comes up, so how can you determine the currency of information:

 

1) Determine if currency is important to your topic (does your research involve recent events, or is it historical?). If currency is important, can you establish how up to date the information source may be?

 

2) Is the page dated? Is it regularly maintained and updated?

 

Being aware and cautious is the best way to avoid contact with unreliable sources.

Always research who wrote the article and how long it has been updated. This will simplify your researching process to a tremendous degree.

Illustrations

“Powerpoint Training”. Techstore. Technology Specialists. Web. 2013

“Blog with best of all things” Blogger. Web. May 5, 2013.

 

Work Cited

 

Brandt, D. Scott. “Evaluating Information On The Internet.” Computers In Libraries 16.(1996): 44-46. Education Source. Web. 13 Dec. 2013.

 

Denning, Peter, et al. “Wikipedia Risks.” Communications Of The ACM 48.12 (2005): 152. Academic Search Complete. Web. 13 Dec. 2013.

 

Reynolds, Cat. “ How To Verify Education Degrees”  EHow. 2013

 

“ Evaluating Web Information” Ramsey Library UNC Asheville. Aug. 23, 2013