ÊÊResearch Help (Big 6) Ê»ÊAvoiding Fake Web Sites

Avoiding Fake Web Sites


Instructions

Use these strategies to help make sure that the
Web sites you use are legitimate rather than a hoax (bogus).


Check your skills using the test at the bottom.



1. Watch for statements that go against common sense. 5. Look for irony or satire in the text.
2. Check for words that are made up or nonsensical. 6. Look for exaggeration in the text.
3. Look at pictures to see whether or not they make sense. 7. Watch for sites that look official, but are not.
4. Watch for images that look like they've been altered. 8. Watch for total nonsense
   
ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊTest your knowlege with these sites



1. Watch for statements that go against common sense.

Example: When was the last time you saw whales in Lake Michigan?

ÊÊWhale Watching in Lake Michigan


ÊLook at this URL: http://www.geocities.com/lakemichiganwhales/ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊworks cited



Example: Is it really possible for a man to have a baby?


Look at this URL: http://www.malepregnancy.com/ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊworks cited

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2. Check for words that are made up or nonsensical.

Example: The doctor's name is a take-off on "what a lying fool."



ÊÊLook at this URL: http://147.129.226.1/library/research/AIDSFACTS.htmÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊworks cited



Example: Fredericpudlians is nonsensical as a name for people of the town.



ÊLook at this URL: http://descy.50megs.com/descy/webcred/webcred/Fredericton.htmlÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊworks cited Return to top



3. Look at pictures to see whether or not they make sense.

Example: Were there robots in the 1890's?



ÊÊLook at this URL: http://www.bigredhair.com/boilerplate/ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊworks cited



Example: PFHT (pet foil hat technology) cannot protect pets from brain scan waves.


Look at this URL: http://sask.sasktelwebsite.net/petfoilhat.htmlÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊworks cited

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4. Watch for images that look like they've been altered.

Example: Where have you been on your travels?



ÊÊÊLook at this URL: http://publish.uwo.ca/~floyd/false/false.htmÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊworks cited

Example: What do you know about the jackalope?

ÊÊ


ÊÊLook at this URL: http://www.sudftw.com/jackcon.htmÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊworks cited

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5. Look for irony or satire in the text.

Example: Does your local zoo get land due to people dying?




Look at this URL: http://www.brookview.karoo.net/Sellafield_Zoo/ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊworks cited



Example: How about signing up for a famous ancestor?


Would you like to go online
to buy an ancestor?


Impress your boss
with your famous relatives!

Abe LincolnÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ$5.00
George WashingtonÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ$1.00

Look at this URL: http://www.fulkerson.org/ancestors/buyanancestor.htmlÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊworks cited

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  6. Look for exaggeration in the text.

Example: Watch out for the man-eating cicadas!


Look at this URL: http://cicadaville.com/ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊworks cited

Example: Have you ever experimented with Strawberry Pop Tarts (SPT)?


Look at this URL: http://www.pmichaud.com/toast/ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊworks cited

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7. Watch for sites that look official, but are not.

Example: Where is the Republic of Cascadia?



Look at this URL: http://zapatopi.net/bsa/ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊworks cited



Example: Have you ever seen a tree octopus?

ÊÊ


Look at this URL: http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊworks cited



Example: How would you like to design your own child?




ÊÊLook at this URL:http://www.genochoice.com/ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊworks cited


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8.    Watch for total nonsense

Example: Can shoes make you a better person?





ÊÊLook at this URL: http://www.stephenswork.com/funkyshoes/goodkarma.htmlÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊworks cited

Example: Would you like to send someone to the Lake of Death Lunar Prison?




ÊÊLook at this URL: http://www.dreamweaverstudios.com/moonbeam/moon.htmÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊworks cite

Example: Have you ever been to a submarine dock in Minnesota?


Ê

ÊÊLook at this URL: http://descy.50megs.com/mankato/subyard.htmlÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊworks cited




Example: Do you want to make sure your dog is happy?




ÊLook at this URL: http://www.thedogisland.com/ ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊworks cited

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  Fake Website test

Your task is to figure out if the site is legitimate or a hoax.

Use this form: Fake Website evaluation
Choose one of the following Web sites to evaluate:

ÊÊDihydrogen Monoxide Research Division ÊÊFun phones
ÊÊMcWhortle Enterprises ÊÊOva Prima Foundation
ÊÊHemp nuts ÊÊWorm Man's Worm Farm
ÊÊCalifornia's Velcro crop Ê Feline reactions to bearded men

 

 

 

 

Works Cited

Beauchamps, Travis. ÒSellafield Zoo.Ó JFH Web Design. 2005. 28 Nov. 2005 <http://www.brookview.karoo.net/Sellafield_Zoo/>.

"Bureau of Sasquatch Affairs." Republic of Cascadia. Zapato Productions Intradimentional. 9 Sept. 2005. Ê29 Nov. 2005 <http://zapatopi.net/bsa/>.

Farnsworth, R. Bruce. "Mankato's Submarine Docks." 7 Nov. Ê2005. 28 Nov. 2005 <http://descy.50megs.com/mankato/subyard.html>.

"Free Forever: Dog Island." ÊDog Island. 2003. 29 Nov. 2005Ê<http://www.thedogisland.com/>.

Fulkerson, Robert. ÒBuy an Ancestor Online.Ó Wyoming Fulkerson. 28 Nov. 2005 <http://www.fulkerson.org/ancestors/buyanancestor.html>.

"Genochoice." Dwayne Medical Center - RYT Hospital.Ê2005. 29 Nov. 2005 <http://www.genochoice.com/>.

Guinan, Paul. ÒBoilerplate: Mechanical Marvel of the Nineteenth Century.Ó 2005. 28 Nov. 2005 <http://www.bigredhair.com/boilerplate/>.

Henderson, John R. "True but Little Known Facts about Women and AIDS.". Ithica College Library. 1 Apr. 2005. 28 Nov. 2005 <http://147.129.226.1/library/research/AIDSFACTS.htm>.

ÒJackalope Conspiracy.Ó SUDftw. 28 Nov. 2005 <http://www.sudftw.com/jackcon.htm>.

"Lake Michigan Whale Watching." Lake Michigan Whale Watching Society. May 2005. 28 Nov. 2005Ê<http://www.geocities.com/lakemichiganwhales/>.

ÒMe and my Travels by Derek." 18 Oct. 2002. 28 Nov. 2005 <http://publish.uwo.ca/%7Efloyd/false/false.htm>.

Michaud, Patrick R. "Strawbery Pop-Tart Blow-Torches." 26 Aug. 1994. 29 Nov. 2005 <http://www.pmichaud.com/toast/>.

"Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus." Zapato Productions Intradimentional. 10 Oct. 2005. 29 Nov. 2005Ê<http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/>.

"Pop: The First Male Pregnancy." RYT Hospital -ÊDwayne Medical Center. 28 Nov. 2005. 28 Nov. 2005<http://www.deathpenalty.org/>.

Stuttafore, Andrew. "Moonbeam Enterprise and the Lunar Travel Agency." Dreamweaver Studios.Ê ÊÊÊÊ 1998. 29 Nov. 2005 <http://www.dreamweaverstudios.com/moonbeam/moon.htm>.

"Saskboy's Pet Foil Hat Technology (PFHT)." Abandonedstuff.com 2005. 28 Nov. 2005Ê<http://sask.sasktelwebsite.net/petfoilhat.html>.

Tuttle, Stephen. "Funky shoes." 2001. 29 Nov. 2005 <http://www.stephenswork.com/funkyshoes/goodkarma.html>.

"Visit Exciting Fredericton."ÊÊ28 Nov. 2005 <http://descy.50megs.com/descy/webcred/
webcred/Fredericton.html>.

ÒWelcome to Cicadaville.com!" Cicadaville.com. 2004. 29 Nov. 2005 <http://cicadaville.com/>.


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ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊCreated by C. Jackson & J. Kallas
ÊÊÊÊÊ