Final answer:
Knowing information about the reputation of a website and content creator helps in evaluating the reliability of information found online. Assess the author's credentials, corroborate information through fact-checking, engage in reading laterally to check reputations, and compare claims with other sources to help determine their credibility.
Step-by-step explanation:
Knowing more about the reputation of a website and content creator is essential for evaluating the reliability of information on the Internet. The Web is an unregulated space where almost anyone can publish content, so it is imperative for users to assess information sources critically.
Investigate the Publisher and Author Credentials
First and foremost, check who is producing the website. Is the content from a scholar, museum, or research organization? Make sure that the author's credentials or organisational affiliation is clearly stated, and that the information is well-cited with objective and reliable sources. You can also determine if the site is recognized by your school library or other trusted institutions as a reliable resource.
Seek Corroboration
Doing some fact-checking to corroborate the site's information is also crucial. Check if other credible sources present similar data and if the source fits into the narrative developed by other scholars or experts in the field. Cross-referencing information is key to validate the claims presented.
Read Laterally
Engage in 'reading laterally' as described by Wineburg and Mcgrew (2016). Rather than solely scrutinizing the 'About' page of a website, use search tools to check the website and author's reputation by finding reviews, critiques, and what other authoritative sources say about them.
Evaluate Claims and Coverage
It is also important to fact-check any claims made by the website, especially for controversial topics. Compare the information with what is being reported by other sources. If there's a discrepancy, approach the original claims with skepticism.
Overall, discriminative internet users can enhance their awareness by meticulously assessing the trustworthiness of online information outlets.