Choose a Web site related to your research focus to analyze for this activity, which appears on page 158 in FieldWorking. Sunstein and Chiseri-Strater argue that some Web sites are online communities, with gatekeepers, rituals, and rules of behavior. Other sites might seem merely to provide information, but pay attention to how language is used. For example, a Web site devoted to an Art History academic community might use language differently from one devoted to Computer Science: They might use specialized terminology; they might limit the site's discussions to certain topics; or they might present information in a way that assumes that all visitors to the site are members of that academic discipline.
Read through Box 15 to get a fuller idea of how to analyze and evaluate potential Web sites. In addition, notice whether the site is a .edu, .com, .org, .mil., .gov, or .net. Who is the author of the site? How credible is this person or organization? Has the site been updated recently? How does the arrangement and design affect the usability and overall experience of the site?
i found http://depressiond.org/psychological-disorders/ to be a good website for my topic. It covers multiple disorders and gives definitions and a better way of understanding and diagnosing which disorder it might be. it's easy to navigate and was created rather recently. it has many links to deffeent sites that could be helpful. It doesnt really use any special language because it's a site to make it easy for anyone to be able to understand what's going on.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.livestrong.com/article/347708-how-is-obesity-affecting-us-today/
ReplyDeleteI felt as if my site was a bit biased. Some of the words that are used when describing obesity are a bit harsh and seem to prove a point further than what it needs to. It is still a great site, but it chooses to leave out how some people can cope with obesity and it’s not the end of the world. I do like how the information is set up. It has four categories in which obesity affects people’s lives: Physically, socially, financially, and psychologically. The author, Miguel Cavazos, uses credible references, such as CDC.gov and CNBC and others.
http://www.thesims3.com/community/blog
ReplyDeleteThis is a site that I belong to. I play the game The Sims 3, which has an extensive online community. I've belonged to this site for a very long time, so I am well versed in the terminology used on the community blogs and forums, such as:
-Simming
-Plumbob
-Patches
-Game Updates
-Expansion Pack
I think this site is cohesive to my research because it definitely shows how a blog influences the online community and how this age is so much more plugged in and how it shapes the very life we live, right down to the games we play and the interests we have.
http://robgagnon.net/SecularCase.htm
ReplyDeleteThis site was very biased on the topic of homosexuality, yet all sites I found were biased in some way or another as it is such a contentious topic. It is, however, a good site to use for my research because it outlines the "Nature Argument" against gay marriage, and also the "Religious Argument." It describes why people believe this is a "destruction of marriage" and helps me deduce the other side of the argument. It seems as if the author, a blogger, is very close-minded about the subject and believes he is right. He uses terminology such as 'normalization,' 'debasement,' 'or worse...' and 'caving into' homosexuality. This rhetoric is used to persuade his audience in a more biased way. The fact that he is a blogger devalues his credibility, but the source does give good info on the opinions of those against gay marriage and homosexuality in general.
http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/foster_care
ReplyDeleteThis website is good for my topic, it just has some of the basic facts about foster care so if I needed some quick information or an overview on foster care this website would be helpful. It gives good statistics about how many children are approximately in foster care, how many of those get reunited with their families, how many have emotion problems going into foster care, and more. It also has some links I could go to with more specific problems if I needed any information on that. I don’t feel like this cite has too much of an “insider language” because I think the website was made for the general public to navigate and read.
http://eurofaerie.eu/wendelin.htm
ReplyDeleteOverall, this was a very informative site. It really gives me a better understanding of my topic and it even goes into societal views on gender theory. This website goes into the more emotional and symbolic perspectives of it. The design of it is rather boring. It's just like a simple essay almost, with links leading to different sections on the page. I don't think this was all that biased. From what I've read it seems like the author wasn't taking any particular side, just giving information from their research. They just explain how "gayness" is often portrayed. The author is Merlin Wendelin and a lot of his sources come from what looks like studies and articles. I'm not quite sure on Wendelin's creditials, but from the whole look of it, he sounds pretty dependable.
http://cms.bsu.edu/
ReplyDeleteYes, i know i did a lot of hard work using the ball state website, but actually, the website i believe will prove useful. I am a student myself, so what better resource than the one provided to me specifically. In the about section, one of the first lines reads, "Ball State believes that for an educational experience to be successful, it should be just that—an experience. So we’ve made a unique commitment to immersive learning." Students staying in school would be part of the "successful" experience of going through an education. Overall, it is an informative site that provides links to things such as "academics" and "campus life." The site advertises education as "immersive" and "making an impact" which would be desirable, by most. It has a lot of information but is geared more towards those either interested in Ball State as a school or those already attending Ball State. It does not actually provide blunt information about student retention however which doesn't make it a good source for everyone but i can use bits and pieces to my advantage.
http://www.mnwelldir.org/docs/mental_health/ptsd.htm
ReplyDeleteThis is a very good website that gives you a very descriptive overview of post traumatic stress. I like the site because not only does it have very good and detailed information, it also goes above and beyond and interviews people who have Post traumatic stress disorder. I do not feel that they used very much bias throughout this website, but rather facts given about PTSD(Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). It gives examples of PTSD and interviews people as well. Overall I feel this will be a good site to use in my paper.
http://academic.scranton.edu/student/pendraks2/index.html
ReplyDeleteThis article over the history of blues was put up by Stephen B. Pendrake.
He is a student and a fanatic. I was unable to find out how old the cite was, but I don't think it really matters since it's about history. He has a strong bias towards the blues from the 1900 to 1960's. He keeps things plain and simple to follow. He mentions what types, what times, and what artists made it what it is today. Over all I find that he is credible by double checking some information, and I think that this is a good cite to suggest for others just getting into blues.
http://www.militaryonesource.mil/MOS/f?p=MOS:TOPIC:0::::SV,UT,LG,CID,TID:Army Active,Member,EN,23.50.30.0.0.0.0.0.0,23.50.30.30.0.0.0.0.0
ReplyDeleteThis websire helps military families with many different aspects of the stresses and problems of having a loved one in the military.It gives information on what to expect from them coming home or what may happen in later years. It gives information on things like special needs for the loved one or their mental health and addictions.
http://www.opportunitynation.org/
ReplyDeleteThis website is all about saving the american dream. They are paired with over 200 non profit organizations to help create better skills, better jobs, and better communities. By signing on to the website you can become a part of this organization. They also have a way that you can donate money to this organization which I found interesting. The website is very well run. It is very simplistic and not overwhelming to users. It seems to be a very creditable and legit source for learning how to rescue the american dream. The website is also a .org and is updated frequently with news about what the organization is doing and accomplishing. The information on this website is written in a way that makes you want to join the cause and help save the american dream.
http://www.ducks.org/
ReplyDeleteThis is the homepage for Ducks Unlimited. DU is the worldwide leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation. They have been an organization for over 75 years and their efforts are spanned throughout all of the United States and Canada. Being 75 years old, they give great information on duck hunting, habitat, and conservation throughout those years. This website will be very helpful when gaining information for my research paper.
http://www.mikeslessons.com/
ReplyDeleteThe website that I chose was created and is sustained by Mike Johnston himself. Mike's whole entire business is on this website with plentiful videos and information for drummers. Mike has taken many college credits so that he is able to conduct anything he needs by himself and doesn't need to pay anyone. Besides the streaming service, Mike built this website from ground up and he did it with flair. Live streaming on the website is available on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday at 2:00 and 9:00 on each day. The live stream is a paid subscription by over 2,100 students at $19.99 per month. With hundreds of high-definition videos and lessons for drummers of all ages and levels, this site will have all the information that a drummer needs.
I found http://psychcentral.com/netaddiction/ to be helpful. It describes what internet addiction actually is and the statistics of people that actually have it. Also the article was done by a doctor so the source is more reliable. It also describe where internet addiction came from and what makes the internet so addictive.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/
ReplyDeleteThis is a very good website when it comes to my topic. It goes into great detail about what is obesity and then goes into great depth about childhood obesity. The source has great credibility. It is fairly easy to access and has a large amount of information. The website also has strategies and solutions to get rid of this rising concern with our young Americans. The source again is easy to access and to understand.
http://www.essortment.com/definition-cult-42468.html
ReplyDeleteI found this page which outlines what exactly a cult is. It goes into a good amount of detail about how not all cults are religion based, and that totalitarian rulers and brainwashing are sign of cults. Some may see it as biased, because the traits that link people to a cult are not seen as good things, the rather deceitful and controlling. There were no words that I didn't understand, and it was outlined easily enough.
Andrea's post:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.escapistmagazine.com/
The Escapist is an international internet website that is mainly targeted at gamers. Being a gamer myself, I come here to watch the reviews and other videos as well as to visit the forums. I have been a member for about three years now.
The forums are probably my favorite part of The Escapist. There are three main categories not dedicated to games or role playing: Off-Topic Discussion, Religion and Politics, and Advice. These are the forums which I maintain and interact on. There are no pre-conceived notions of other users (there are literally people from all over the world). People here are united by their love for games and the ability to use the English language. The most important rule of these forums are no “trolling”, that is, trying to rile someone up just for the “lols”.
The primary sub-forum that I post in is the Off-Topic Discussion. There are always discussions going on about languages and how people are coping with cultures changing. This relates to my topic both directly and indirectly, as language can be seen as an extension of culture. There are always fascinating discussions going on and I love talking with people across the globe about what their opinions are on the same topics that I enjoy thinking about. When in one of these discussions, you must state that what you are saying is your opinion, otherwise you must back it up with proof. It is very highly criticized to state something as fact without citations that other users may view and validate. Although it will be biased depending on the person’s feelings, I still feel as though it is valid secondary source for my project.
The site is updated daily, although on the minute would be more precise. It is a real-time forum and videos are posted at least a dozen every day, depending on the poster’s timezone.
Samantha's post:
ReplyDeletehttp://teacch.com/educational-approaches/asa-advocate-learning-styles-of-children-with-autism-by-gary-mesibov-autism-society-of-america\
I found this website which outlines the learning styles and problems associated with autism. It is pretty detailed and shows a clear interpretation. the only bias would stem from the science involved. I understood the language and concepts, overall I believe it was a good source.