First Step

1. Locate three sites on your topic. Write citations in correct MLA format for all three sites. NOTE: 2 sites must be an .edu, .gov, or .org site; 1 site can be .com or .net sites.

2. Locate one article on your topic in Academic Search Premier (EbscoHost). Cite the article in MLA format

3. Using the questions below, write a paragraph, no longer than 2 double-spaced pages, comparing and contrasting the three sites.

 Questions

• How in-depth is your assignment? Do these web sites match the depth and scope of your assignment?
• Think about what the purpose of each web page is—to convince the reader of what? To what type audience is the page trying to appeal?
• If the information on one of your sites is questionable in some respect, what makes you question it? What type of research this site could be used for?
• Compare your sites to each other; what can you tell about each site just from comparison?
• How many clicks does it take to leave your sites? Are they the main pages or off-shoots of a web site? Is there a “parent” site? i.e. the Ole Miss homepage is the parent page to the library web site.
• Compare your sites to the article you found on Academic Search Premier (EbscoHost).
• Is there any variation of facts among the four sources?
• What are the varying dates of the sources? What kind of effect does this have on your analysis?
• Which of the four sources seemed the most academic? Why?
• Which of the four sources is the most relevant to your topic? Why?
• Which source made you feel more educated or interested in your topic? Why?
• Which of these four sources do you think your professor would most like to see in your bibliography? Why?