Finding, Evaluating & Naming Recommended Links

Quick Reference: Finding, Evaluating & Naming Links

Make sure the recommended links present a balanced view of your subject.

Use information from nonprofit organizations (.org), government sites (.gov), educational sites (.edu), and information portal sites.

Find research sources from our extensive list of nonprofit organizations.

Make sure the articles include the author's name.

Make sure the articles' references are cited within the articles or at the bottom of the articles.

Examine the articles for bias by determining if the author is presenting his or her opinions as fact.

Make sure the articles are jargon-free and are written in an eighth grade reading level.

Never include a link to an article that requires the user to download a program or to pay or register to gain access to information.

Make sure the articles are comprehensive.

Use a variety of search engines to find information.

Vary your language and phrasing when typing keywords into search engines.

Use broad phrases to maximize your search engine results.

To name links, always use the title of the page that you're linking to.

The links refer the reader to extensive information and recommendations on the HelpGram topic. Each link should provide slightly different information related to the topic. For example, a good formula for links includes the following:

Overview page: a page that contains an in-depth summary of an issue.
FAQ: a page that contains frequently asked questions about an issue.
Link listing: a page that contains an extensive listing of links related to an issue.

(Please note, this is only one formula for recommended links. Let your topic and your judgment guide which links to recommend.)

Follow the information below to learn how to find and evaluate credible information on the Web.

To evaluate the credibility of information when selecting recommended links, follow these guidelines:

Make sure that the articles you collect present a balanced view of your subject. An article is balanced when it presents two sides of a subject. For example, if your HelpGram is about the benefits of vitamin supplements, the articles you collect should include information about the benefits as well as the potential dangers of vitamin supplements. Or the article could discuss different experts' views of various supplements. Readers find balanced information more convincing and credible than one-sided information.

The information on the following types of sites is typically written and/or reviewed by experts in various fields:
- Government sites (.gov)

Nonprofit organizations sites (.org)
College and university Web sites (.edu)
Dot-com information-portal sites (such as WebMD.com, About.com and Ehow.com)

Always aim to use articles that contain the author's name at the top or bottom of the page. Information about the author's credentials is a plus. Also, strive to find information that has been written or reviewed by a licensed professional in your topic's field

Sometimes articles from nonprofit organizations, government sites, and college Web sites don't include the author's name on the top or bottom of the pages. But as long as you can verify that the articles from these sites are original material (meaning the articles were produced by the organization), you can use them for your recommended links.

Familiarize yourself with the extensive list of nonprofit organizations that we support. These organization are terrific research sources.

Make sure the articles' references are cited within the articles or at the bottom of the articles.

Examine each article's content for bias by determining if the author is presenting his or her opinions as fact.

Make sure the article is accessible to users with an eighth grade reading level. It should not contain jargon or be written in a tone, style, or structure that only certain people understand.

Never include a link to an article that requires the user to download a program, such as Adobe Acrobat reader, or that requires the user to register or pay to gain access to information. Also, don't link to Web pages that contain Power Point presentations.

Make sure the information is current. As a rule, the article shouldn't be more than three-years old. If you would like to include an older article, send your link to your e-ternship director for approval.

Make sure that your articles are comprehensive. Remember, the links should include in-depth information on your topic. So make sure your links sufficiently cover your topic.

Follow these search tips when surfing the Web:

Remember that different databases drive different search engines. So, although much of the information that you find through search engines will overlap, each search engine will also yield different results. So use a variety of search engines for research.

Some common search engines include the following:

When you're typing keywords into search engines, make sure to use phrases that pertain to your topic, and vary your language. Get keywords and phrases from your research as well. Also, don't make your phrases too narrow. Broader keywords or phrases usually yield more results. Once you find credible Web sites, search for links on them to find additional information.

Read the following pages for some comprehensive tips on Internet searching:

Naming links

Never make up your own title for your recommended links. To name links, always use the title of the page that you're linking to. This will ensure that when readers click your link, they won't be confused by any inconsistencies between the title you gave the link and the actual title of the linked page.