Answer common questions about human environmental impacts using Library One Search.

Know criteria for evaluating articles.

Know criteria for evaluating web pages.

Find primary scientific journal articles that address a claim made on a website.

Answer common questions about human environmental impacts using science databases.

Answer common questions about human environmental impacts using credible web pages (e.g.EPA).

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1. First ask these questions about the web site? 

• Is it real?
• Is it true?
• Is it personal?

2. Check web page using tips from Scott Rosenberg's September 24, 2010 post in Wordyard about "How to check out any Web Page."

Here's a summary of the article (with links added by Leslee Shell):

• What's the top-level domain?
• Look the domain name up with whois or DNS Lookup
  
• How old or new is the registration?
• Look up the site in the Internet Archive
• Look at the source code
• Google the images at TinEye
• Check out the ads
• Does the site tell you who runs it?
• Is there a feedback option?
• What shape are the comments in?
• Is the content original and unique?
• Does the article make reference to many specific sources or just a few?
• Links in are as important a clue as links out
• Google the URL. Google the domain. Google the company name. Poke around if you have any doubts or questions. Then, of course, remember that every single question we've been applying here can be asked about every page Google points you to, as well.

3. Evaluate these science web sites based on at least three of the criteria above:

Site 1: Naturally Selected; Biology's Personal Best 
Site 2: Bjorn Lomborg
Site 3: Environmental Working Group
Site 4: US Environmental Protection Agency
Site 5: HAARP; The High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program

Look at the following articles and evaluate using the following questions as a guide (Little J.W. and Parker, Roy, Retrieved from http://www.biochem.arizona.edu/classes/bioc568/papers.htm on September 16, 2010.

a. What questions does the paper address?

b. What are the main conclusions of the paper?

c. What evidence supports those conclusions?

d. Do the data actually support the conclusions?

e. What is the quality of the evidence?

f. Why are the conclusions important?

Article 1: Contoski, E.. (2008, September). Global Warming, Global Myth. Liberty, 22(8), 35-39,46.  Retrieved September 22, 2010, from Alt-Press Watch (APW). (Document ID: 1520463931).

Article 2: Guido di Prisco and Cinzia Verde. Predicting the impacts of climate change on the evolutionary adaptations of polar fish. 2006, Volume 5, Numbers 2-3, Pages 309-321

Article 3:Bjorn Lomborg. (2007, Octover 31). Hotter Weather, fewer deaths; man-made global warming will take thousands of lives.  It will save many more. National Post (Financial Post) Canada. Issues & Ideas, Pg. A23, 1146 words.