Reading Response #5

“Information Technology 101” by Andrea Foster was an interesting article. It mainly concentrates on how college students are very adapt at using technology, but not necessarily as it pertains to valid and reliable research techniques. Students are overwhelmed by the simple vastness of the information available both online and compiled on library shelves. Librarians and Universities are now challenged to inform students and make sure they understand how to conduct research in this new digital age. I think this article was very on point, students do rely on Google and other free search engines more than they should when they really need to be looking for scholarly journals and other more reliable forms of research. We, as students have access to tons of databases and scholarly journals through our campus library, we have the option of inter-library loan. We have all these options to find lots of information that is going to be more reliable than most of what we can find on Google or Yahoo, but the problem is we are lazy. There I said it! We don’t want to have to bother trying to get to the databases, through all the passwords and usernames, and we don’t want to actually go to the library, when we can hop on our laptops real quick and find out almost exactly what we need to know within seconds. There is a problem with that though, you have to ask yourself how reliable the information you are getting is. It may take more effort to get to the databases and scholarly journals, but the information you get will be a higher caliber and worth the effort.

Reading Response #4

“The Infodiet: How Libraries Can Offer an Appetizing Alternative to Google” is an interesting look at how libraries as are first method of finding information is not yet dead. Yes today we want our information now, not ten minutes after we have looked up a subject and found a book and call number. Today libraries still have a place in society you have librarians to help you find reliable information from reliable sources. Yes you many be able to find information faster online and you don’t have to leave the comfort of your computer desk, but you still have to question the information as far as its validity, and reliability. At least in the library you have that personal support to help you and you are not depending solely on the technology you have on hand. Libraries have been used to store our information for centuries, why rock the boat now. My favorite quote of the article was “Working together, librarians, professors, and developers can show students that research, like reading and classroom discussions, requires careful reflection. supersized search engines that imitate Google, producing piles of full-text articles, may initially be as satisfying as a candy bar. But empty calories — or citations — are not what the educated consumer wants.” We want access to valid and solidly supported information, libraries are still the best way to access this information, while still not taking years to find the information you need. This article brought up some interesting points regarding the ongoing war between libraries and the internet, but there really isn’t a war when you think about it, they are two very different entities that both have pros and cons and both have their individual uses. However when those uses converge, we as students have to decide which one will be most effective to find the information we need.

Reading #3 Summary

The reading begins describing how without libraries most of the legendary artist, scientist, Leonardo DaVinci’s work would have been lost. In the Middle Ages books were to expensive, so they were precious and kept locked up, with the invention of the Gutenberg’s printing press books became more and more accessible. Later on from 1883-1929 the affluent business man Andrew Carnegie funded the building of 2,509 libraries all over the world. However the actual purpose of libraries and need for them is changing. Information is now more than ever available at the fingertips of most people via the internet. People are moving faster, multi-tasking everyday. They watch television and surf the web at the same time, eat lunch on the run and the demand for increasingly faster access to information and communication is growing. Books need to become more than a product; they need to become an experience in order to keep up in this new world. Libraries are no longer needed for information, we have the internet for that, they will become the center of culture, like museums, in order to survive. This article was very interesting because it really makes some good points. In the past libraries were essential, they managed to preserve our history and save it for today, when we can now access it online. In this new age of instant, free, access to information from any computer with internet access, the actual need for a library is fading. The libraries need to adapt and embrace the new technologies that are taking over and not fight back, because if they don’t they will disappear.

Is Wikipedia Reliable?

In “Can Wikipedia Ever Make the Grade?” by Brock Read the author discusses how Wikipedia one of the newest and hottest ways on the internet to get information is not all its cracked up to be. The main problem he brings up is that anyone can add material to the encyclopedia's entries without having to show any proof of expertise. However after he assumed another name and posted random and obviously false information on several topics he realized that Wikipedia’s editors were doing their jobs well. Less than three hours after he posted the false information the information was taken down and he was asked by the editors to stop posting false information. Though some professors critique it because the site does not show them favor and the editing process does not seem very turn key, Read’s experiment shows that though the information can be posted by anyone, the editors are doing a good job of filtering out he junk and making the site a much more useable and reliable site to go to for legitimate information. Read even goes through and grades how the site provides information for “Brave New World” based on links provided and reliability of information, and it does quite well. Read’s experiment proved the experts and the scholars wrong by proving that the editing process that Wikipedia uses does in fact work. You still have to be careful about using information from the site however you could log on and get that false information in the short time between false addition and editing. So simply double check the information you are provided with there and you will be fine using Wikipedia as a source of information today.

Reading #1 Summary

Reading #1: “Web Hoaxes, Counterfeit Sites, and Other Spurious Information on the Internet”

This first reading was very interesting. It is all about how the internet misinforms, misleads, and how it can very easily scam you out money and other things. Just because a website looks legitimate doesn’t mean that it was set up by an actual legitimate company or that the information provided on it is factual. Anyone can go online and create a website now, but there are warning signs though. If information provided on a website is misspelled or contradicts obvious or common knowledge know that it is more than likely full of misinformation. There are so many hoax websites now that there are websites set up to keep track of them like register.com. Also you should consider referencing print materials if you cannot verify the URL or are still not sure if the website is legitimate. The article also brings up hacks and spoofs and how sometimes they are not as obvious as you think. Again you have to be very careful to verify information and using the detailed search options on search engines like GOOGLE and YAHOO are always good options to help you narrow down your searches to good legitimate information. You aren’t even safe just reading the news online. Writers don’t always check their stories and sometimes information is false. Remember use your common sense when getting information online and always double check your information to make sure your not getting fed false information by fake websites. Also beware of sites that claim to be charities of any kind. Make sure any charity you donate to online is registered, you could just be paying someone’s rent.

Spam Blog?

To the person reviewing my blog because it is suspected as a spam blog: I am a college student. I had to start this blog to post my news reports for my teacher;s review. I go to UNC-Wilmington as supported by my school e-mail address that you have. This is not a spam blog it is just a school assignment.

News Report #5

“China Internet Use Exceeds Global Average”
K.C. Jones, Information Week
January 15, 2009
http://www.informationweek.com/news/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=212900560&subSection=Browsers

The People’s Republic now has over 300 million internet users. China’s population growth of 42% in 2008 is another factor that led to its internet domination. The number of people using the internet in China has more than doubled since 2006. It is also found that ninety percent of internet users in China use broadband service according to the Internet Network Information Service.

We are living in a technological age. We live in a world where a household of four can have six computers all with internet access and their own wireless internet routing system. Did I mention the four televisions also in the home. In 2008 China actually surpassed the United States in internet users, what a shocking concept. We use the internet to connect with our friends, do our homework for school, check e-mails for work, read the latest news and check the weather. It doesn’t surprise me that China has finally surpassed the United States I do wish that the Chinese government will eventually allow their citizens to use the internet and not be censored. The Chinese government has imprisoned people for posting certain things in web blogs and for searching particular things on the internet. I hope that eventually this age of internet freedom and free speech will eventually be fully extended in the country that actually harbors the most internet users in the world. At least we can be thankful that the censorship factor has not affected the number of people who use the internet in China.