Infinite Potentials

INFINITE POTENTIAL

The World Wide Web has revolutionized research for scholars and academics all around the globe. Information is now only a click away, which for future generations will seems like no big deal, but for those generations prior, it has changes drastically. Research at one point included card catalogs, and shelf after shelf of books, and was limited to regions and limited by quantity of different libraries. Currently, we almost literally have the world at our finger tips, and we can access information from anywhere around the globe, in a matter of minutes, just from our computers. The one downfall of all the knowledge access comes in in evaluating and choosing appropriately with deductions which web sources are reliable and which are controversial.

Determining which websites to choose when researching requires learners to consider a number of options in deducing down different choices from search engines. First element is to determine is relevancy. With all of the information that comes with searching we must eliminate choices either by adding different search words, or by quickly reading through different articles until the ones with the most relevancy are being singled out, so that there is not too much time wasted, or too many alternative avenues of information to navigate through. It is easy to cloud information by having too much data on something that you are trying to pinpoint or specify. This may seem time consuming, but ultimately with practice it will save many hours for the learner.

The second area to consider in researching a topic is authority. Authority, by means of a credible writer or researcher can be validated by the authenticity of the author/authors. For instance, look into the writers background or credentials, look at the resources they used and make sure it is thoughtful and well backed up. There is a lot of fraud in our country and all over the world, and therefore this step is very important.. If you can not affirm the authors research, then there is no evidence for their conclusions. This requires us to remain skeptical and cautious, and to take every detail into consideration.

This ties into the third search criteria, which is accuracy. Accuracy can also be tested by considering authors, their backgrounds, and even bibliographies. Is their research backed up? Are the sources of the research valid themselves? You can look at what other people may have responded to the articles or follow the lines of investigation to see what brought accuracy and credibility to the different issues of the topic. Is the author sincere, bitter, angry, or dualistic? Or are there a lot of opinions or are facts backed by references? This may require time and patience, but it is essential and important to look into every element and make sure that it is coming from a nonbiased source with authenticity and honesty.

The next point to consider is the currency. When was the article written? Is it up to date with other research? Have there been advances since the research was dated. Information changes on a daily basis, and upgrades, or changes constantly. What may be affirmative one day, could be revamped and reevaluated in no time. Make sure that other articles are around the same timeline and compare the difference to assure you have the most relevant, up to date credibility of the present circumstances. Even just one year can alter so many issues, and this is so very vital when continuing research, otherwise you just be rewriting what has already been written and affirmed.

Finally, one must take into consideration the objectivity. Objectivity ties in with accuracy, but it is more about the writers composing facts and not opinions. Opinions are subjective in nature and vary from individual to individual. Research based on facts will give more insight to the truth of matters. Opinionated essays are always available, but it may not assist a researcher well in developing different levels of an arguments, especially if it is leaning towards one way of thinking.

It may seems overwhelming, but given the enormous amount of data available to us, these steps will make a huge difference as to what is being researched and concluded. It is so important to always remain skeptical, and to really delve into the topics to get a full and broadened understanding. The World Wide Web can be a tool of knowledge with a lot of power and influence, and we must be particular and cautious, because there is also a lot of fraudulence. More power always comes with a cost, but awareness can diminish this vulnerability and lead us to better research with greater understandings.

Megan Smith