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Students: Check this site regularly for course updates including changes to test date revisions, reading assignments. class schedule changes, etc.

 Updated: 01/31/04

Note: See bottom of this page for instructions on how to view the Faces Of Culture video tapes on-line.

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Informational Web Site Evaluation Project Instructions

Print out the evaluation worksheet (below) and make 10 hard copies. You will use these hard copies of the worksheet to record your findings for the assignment. When completed you will turn them in for review and award of the exam points.  This project is valued at 50 points. You must have completed all criteria per the instructions written here and given in class in order to receive full point value.

 To complete the assignment you must: 

1.      Select a topic taken from one of the chapters  in your text. It must apply to one of the following geographical areas: Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, the New World. Write your topic on a piece of paper with your name and submit to the instructor for approval. You may do this in person in class or via email. The instructor will initial the approval and return it to you. Attach the approval to the evaluation forms when you turn in this portion of the exam on the last night of class.

 

2.      Find and review 10 websites that pertain to the single approved topic . These are to be different websites, not just web pages) Be sure you write the topic on the top of the first page of each worksheet. The URL and site name do not always clearly indicate what topic you are researching.

 

 3.  Record your findings for each site on the worksheet you copied from the web evaluation site. 

    Use a separate worksheet for each of the ten sites you review. 

o       Each item must be considered in your evaluation. Write the total site score above the comment section.  

o       Use the comment section to give a narrative of the overall evaluation of  the site reviewed. Worksheets without comments will not be counted as complete. All sites must have comments included. Comments like: "This was a really cool site.", or  "This site really sucked!", are unacceptable. Your comments must reflect an analysis based on the evaluative criteria provided in the check list.

o       Address your comments toward the credibility  and usefulness of the information you found.  

4.  Turn in completed Web Site Evaluation comment section forms at the final exam meeting. DO NOT INCLUDE THE EVALUATION CRITERIA SHEET. To receive full credit for the assignment each form must be complete. Missing items will reduce the number of points you may receive. 

 

 Copy and paste the following evaluation criteria AND comment section into other documents so you can edit them.  

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Directions: Use your judgment in allotting points for the various categories. Total the points for score. Complete the comment section.

NOTE: Your evaluation will NOT be scored unless comments section is completed.
Questions to Ask About the Web Page

Note: The greater number of questions listed below answered "yes", or  positively, the more likely it is you can determine whether the source is of high information quality.  In scoring the evaluation categories you will have to subjectively assign a total point value.

 

Criterion #1: AUTHORITY (20 points)

·        Is it clear who is responsible for the contents of the page?

·        Is there a link to a page describing the purpose of the sponsoring organization?

·        Is there a way of verifying the legitimacy of the page's sponsor? That is, is there a phone number or postal address to contact for more information? (Simply an email address is not enough.)

·        Is it clear who wrote the material and are the author's qualifications for writing on this topic clearly stated?

·        What is her/his occupation, position, education, experience?

·        What are her/his credentials?

·        Is she/he qualified to write this "article?"

·        If the material is protected by copyright, is the name of the copyright holder given?

·        Section 1 Total:_____________________

 

Criterion # 2: PERSPECTIVE/ BIAS/OBJECTIVITY (20 points)

·        Does the author have a bias?

·        Does she/he express a particular point of view?

·         Is the author affiliated with particular organizations, institutions, associations?

·         Is information directed toward a specific audience? [General public, scholars in a given field, etc.]

·         Is the information provided as a public service?

·         Is the information free of advertising?

·         If there is any advertising on the page, is it clearly differentiated from the informational content?

·        Section 2 Total:_____________________

 

Criterion #3: ACCURACY (15 points)

·        Are the sources for any factual information clearly listed so they can be verified in another source?

·        Is the information free of grammatical, spelling, and typographical errors? (These kinds of errors not only indicate a lack of quality control, but can actually produce inaccuracies in information.)

·        Is it clear who has the ultimate responsibility for the accuracy of the content of the material?

·        If there are charts and/or graphs containing statistical data, are the charts and/or graphs clearly labeled and easy to read?

·        How does this information compare with that in other sources in the field?

·        Section 3 Total:_____________________

 

Criterion #4: CURRENCY (15 points)

·        Are there dates on the page to indicate:

·        When the page was written?

·        When the page was first placed on the Web?

·        When the page was last revised?

·        Are there any other indications that the material is kept current?

·        If material is presented in graphs and/or charts, is it clearly stated when the data was gathered?

·        If the information is published in different editions, is it clearly labeled what edition the page is from?

·        Section 4 Total:_____________________

 

Criterion #5: PURPOSE ( 15 points)

o       Is this reflected in the writing style, vocabulary, or tone?

o       Does the material inform? explain? persuade?

o       To what audience is the author writing?

o       Section 5 Total:_____________________

 

Criterion #6: COVERAGE (15 points)

·        Is there an indication that the page has been completed, and is not still under construction?

·        If there is a print equivalent to the Web page, or  is there a clear indication of whether the entire work is available on the Web or only parts of it?

·        If the material is from a work which is out of copyright (as is often the case with a dictionary or thesaurus) has there been an effort to update the material to make it more current?

·        Section 6 Total:_____________________

 Copy and paste the Web Page Evaluation comment section (below) into another document. 

Make 10 copies.

Print your name on each page

Number sequentially in the space for worksheet #

Fill in the Topic, and PRINT the url so that it is legible and correct.  

Fill in the score you determined using the 6 criteria listed above.

Complete the comment section.

When you have completed the comment section for all ten sites you have evaluated, clip them together along with the topic approval and turn in to me no later than the end of the last class meeting.

Web Page Evaluation Worksheet  comment section

 

NAME___________________________________

Worksheet #:_______
Research Topic:
Title of Web Site:
URL:

SCORING:
90 - 100 Excellent, 80 - 89 Good, 70 - 79 Average, 60 - 69 Borderline Acceptable, Below 60 Unacceptable

o       TOTAL for Web Site: _______________________

COMMENTS: ( Synopsis of your evaluation. Address the strengths and weaknesses of this sites credibility and usefulness as a resource for research.)

 

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If you have any questions see me in class, call me at the number provided on your class schedule, or email me. To email me from this site return to the HOME PAGE and use Email link.

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Below, you will find directions on how to access the Faces of Culture programs on-line.

 

 “THE FACES OF CULTURE” VIDEO SERIES

 

 You can access  these with any modem connection.  However, to be able to clearly read all of the subtitles on the screens, you will need a high speed connection (cable, DSL, or T-1).  If this is not available to you at home, you can use the computers in the Palomar Library Computer Lab for free.  All of the shows are one half hour long.

 

SHOW TITLES

 

 

 

1.   2.   3.   4.   5.   6.     7.     8.     9. 10.   11. 12.

The Nature of Anthropology The Nature of Culture How Cultures are Studied Language and Communication Psychological Anthropology Alejandro Mamani: A Case Study in Psychological Anthropology Patterns of Subsistence: Food Foragers and Pastoralists Patterns of Subsistence: The Food Producers Economic Anthropology The Highland Maya: A Case Study in Economic Anthropology Sex and Marriage Family and Household

13. 14. 15. 16.   17. 18 19 20 21.   22. 23. 24. 25. 26.

The Yucatec Maya Kinship and Descent I Kinship and Descent II The Aymara: A Case Study in Social Stratification Age, Common Interest and Stratification Political Organization Social Control Religion and Magic The Asmat of New Guinea: A Case Study in Religion and Magic The Arts New Orleans Black Indians Culture Change Cricket, The Trobriand Way The Future of Humanity

  

 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR VIEWING “THE FACES OF CULTURE” ON THE WEB

 

1. Go to the following URL:  http://pconline.palomar.edu.
   
   
2. Click the Login button.
   
   
3. When the login screen appears, use your 9-digit student ID number as your USERNAME.  Unless you have previously taken an online class and deliberately changed your password, your initial password is also your 9-digit student ID number.  (Note:  remember to enter all 9 digits, including any leading zeros.)  If you have taken an online class in the past and deliberately changed your password, use that password.  If you have forgotten what the password is, click the “Forgot your password?” link and it will be emailed to you.
   
   
4. Once logged in you will see the PCOnline main screen with the “My Palomar” tab active.  On the right of the screen in a box titled “My Courses” you will see a list of all the fully or partially online courses in which you are enrolled.  Among the list you will see “Cultural Anthropology Videos.”  Click this link.
   
   
5. The next screen you see will show a brief set of instructions on getting the Real player and playing the videos.  Below these instructions you will see a set of links to the videos themselves.  The videos are numbered by Show number.  The title of the video appears next to the show number.  Click on the link appropriate to your connection speed directly under the video title.  Those using a standard 28.8 or 56k dial-up modem should click on the “modem” link.  Those connecting on-campus, or using a cable modem (Cox, Daniels or Roadrunner), or using a DSL connection should click on the link labeled “broadband.”
   
   
6. When done viewing the video, close your Real player and click on the Logout link at the top of the PCOnline screen. 

Technical Support:

 

If you have problems or need technical help, the quickest way to get help is to email David Gray at dgray@palomar.edu.  If David is unavailable, during weekday office hours you may phone Mike Arguello at ext. 2346 or email Mike at marguello@palomar.edu.  If you still cannot get help, try emailing tgray@palomar.edu or call ext. 2877.

 

Questions:

 

Q.  What if I don’t want to use my 9-digit student ID number as my password? Can I change it?

A.  Yes.  To do so, click on the “Personal Information” link in the “Tools” box at the left of the “My Palomar” screen you first see when you log in to PCOnline.  Then click the “Change Password” link and follow the instructions on screen.

Q.  Can I change my USERNAME?

A.  No.  You must use your 9-digit student ID number as your USERNAME.

Q.  I just added the class but can’t login.  What is wrong?

A.  It takes at least 24 hours after officially adding the class for you to have access.  Try again the next day.  If you still have problems, get technical support as described above.

   

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