I have to write a 3-5 paragraph essay answering this question: what is the difference between a credible and a non-credible website.

Question

I need ideas on what to write or how to answer because i suck at writing :( but this is worth 6 points and i neeeed them.

List specific examples, characteristics of credible and non-credible websites, and what is the role of critical thinking in evaluating websites.

Answer 1

Read some of these articles. In general, a credible website can name specific sources for information. For example, if a website or a meme says "so-and-so" is a crook, it better have specific examples of a criminal record (court) or lawsuits, etc., or other reliable sources. Just saying something is true doesn't make it true. "Everybody says so" is not a reliable source, nor is a biased commentator a reliable source, except to cite his or her OPINION. Opinions (that rock group is the best) must be labelled as opinion, not stated as fact.

https://www.google.com/search?q=credible+and+non+reliable+web+sites&ie=&oe=

This should help you in writing a good essay.

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/685/01/

Good luck!

Answer 2

As for critical thinking, it's up to the reader or viewer (of videos or TV) to decide if the information is true or reliable. For example, a popular TV personality declared that there "is a war on Christmas" because stores put up signs that say "Happy Holidays" and people wish each other "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas". A critical thinker will realize that everyone who celebrates Christmas is free to celebrate it any way he/she likes, wish each other "Merry Christmas", etc. No one is stopping them. There are people who include the New Year holiday in their greetings, not to ignore Christmas. Others are not Christian, but celebrate other holy or holidays in December and the first of the year, so can be included in good wishes for the season. There is no "war on Christmas". One could just take that TV guy at his word and get all upset, or use critical thinking to realize he's mistaken.

Answer 3

Another thing: Fact vs opinion. One has to be capable of distinguishing those. Facts are provable, or disprovable. There has to be evidence that is measurable in support of, or against. Once one masters that, then one has to conclude on facts, are they true, or untrue.

A credible website is factual based, and usually true. Otherwise, I rate it as non credible.

Here are some newsites, base on the above, I find over time, in the credible category:
CNN
ABC
CBS
Reuters
NY times
Washington Post
Atlantic Magazine

Here are some in the non-credible news category:
Newsmax
Briebart
Fox Cable News
Blaze News (often not news, just opinion)
TMZ

Now in other than news, you can apply the credible criteria to them. Take Wikipedia for instance. Has much factual information, generally reliable and true, nothwithstanding edits creep in that are nonsense. Overall, rated credible.

So go back to the first paragraph I wrote: Fact vs opinion, and then truth vs untruth. Fact+true=credible.