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Question: Who is the author of this web page? Is this a reliable website to use as a source on climate change?
DAPPR Score: 0
Explanation: There is no individual author listed. It has been written by staff at the ice cream company, Ben & Jerry's. This company is not a scholarly source. The information has a political slant to it (notice they want you to sign a petition) and includes no credentials that suggest they are qualified to write on this topic. This is not a reliable source to use.
It is extremely important to understand WHO is behind the information on a website. Sometimes the webpage or article you’re reading is authored by an individual and often their credentials are also mentioned. You can use these credentials to determine the qualifications of the author(s). For example, is the author an expert in the topic of the article? Do they have a degree on the topic? Do they have some kind of experience with the topic? If it is a newspaper article, does the reporter usually cover this field? Do they have a degree in journalism? Simply listing a name is not enough. The web site or page should have background information on the author.
A lot of times, however, the information you find is anonymous. If this is the case, then you must determine the reliability of the information by noting the host or sponsor of the website. Based on information from the “About Us” link, what can you tell about the organization? Is it a reputable organization? Do they offer contact information? If you can’t tell who’s behind the website, DON’T USE IT!
Note: Most government sites and some organizations will list the organization responsible for the information rather than an individual author. This is perfectly okay as long as the organization is reputable.
While the best bet is to always look for information on the author and "About Us" on the website, sometimes the information provided can be frustratingly vague. If this is the case, your best bet is to do some online sleuthing. By simply "Google-ing" the author and/or website, you can get a better idea of the website or author's background, significance and reputation. In the example search below, the scholarly article, "Feminist Criticism, "The Yellow Wallpaper," and the Politics of Color in America" did not have information on Susan S Lanser. A simple Google search, however, revealed a plethora of information on the university website she teaches at.
Helpful Tips: Be sure to use the author's middle name or inital if present in the article or website. It is also helpful to list part of the title of the article as well in your search.