Communication: Internet Sources

http://www.uiowa.edu/~commstud/resources/

A searchable directory of Internet sources covering multiple communication topics — advertising, journalism, media studies, rhetoric, visual communication. Includes brief annotations for each Web site listed.

 

http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/

A British-based gateway to Web sources useful in the academic study of media and communication. Includes links to a variety of areas, such as advertising, film studies, media education, and media influence.

http://mediahistoryproject.org/

The Media History Digital Library (MHDL) digitizes collections of classic media periodicals that belong in the public domain for full public access. The project features digitized extensive runs and selected holdings of classic media magazines (e.g., Film Daily, Photoplay, Radio Age, and Movie Maker). MHDL includes magazine issues that are in the public domain. The earliest coverage includes an 1896 issue of the Phonoscope monthly journal. Users can download individual pages or entire volumes.

 

http://vos.ucsb.edu/browse.asp?id=2720

Covers Internet sites related to media studies, journalism, film studies, TV, radio, telecom issues, and media theory and history.

 

http://vlib.org/Communication.html

Extensive links to sources dealing with communications, journalism, publishers, and telecommunications, including professional groups, fellowships, conferences, news organizations, and other areas.

Why is it important to critically evaluate information found on the Internet? Mainly because anyone can publish information on the Internet. The Internet does not have reviewers or editors; there is no quality control. There is no guarantee that the information you find is accurate. Many pages are not updated.

 

Here are two excellent sites that offer detailed guidance in evaluating Internet sources:

 

> Evaluating Web Pages: Techniques to Apply & Questions to Ask (from University of California – Berkeley)

 

> Evaluating Information Found on the Internet (from The Johns Hopkins University)

 

Also helpful is the UCF Libraries' InfoLit module, "Evaluating Web Sites."