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In your introduction paragraph, be sure to identify the title of the Web
site or Web page you are analyzing. Since a Web site is comprised of
several smaller pages and therefore considered a "long work," a Web site
title appears in italics. Individual pages that comprise a Web site are
considered "short works," so their titles appear in quotation marks. For
instance, ENGLISH 101: Approaches to Writing is the title of the
Web site, but "Assignment 3A - List of Potential Thesis Statements" is the
title of an individual page within the Web site.
- When identifying the Web site in your introduction paragraph, it is also
helpful to mention the names of the Web site author and/or "publisher." For
our purposes, a Web site "publisher" is considered to be the host
institution or individual affiliated with the Web site. To locate the
publisher, or host, of a Web page with a lengthy address, you can remove
sections of the Web site address until you arrive at the main Web site
address (which usually reveals information about the "publisher," or host).
For instance, consider the following URL:
<http://www.kjpierson.com/TEACHING/ENG101/TRIP2/2AHH.HTML>
If you removed the four sections of the address back to the first single
slash mark, you would end up with:
<http://www.kjpierson.com>
After going to this Web site address, you would see that the "publisher, or
host, of this Web site is Kenn Pierson. In other words, Kenn Pierson pays
for the site to be hosted on a server.
- To research a Web site author's background or biases, conduct a Web
search using the author's name. Often, a link to the author's personal site
is available on the Web site you are analyzing.
- To research a Web site "publisher's" background or biases, conduct a Web
search using the publisher's name. Often, a link to the publisher's Web site
is available on the Web site you are analyzing. Or, as mentioned above, you
may remove sections of the Web page address until you arrive at the main Web
site address (which usually reveals information about the "publisher," or
host).
- In analyzing an author's development of ideas, consider how clearly the
author states the thesis and the main points supporting the thesis.
Consider whether the overall Web site has a sense of a "beginning, middle,
and end" and whether the information on the Web site seems focused.
- In analyzing an author's use of evidence, consider what type of evidence
he/she has used: facts, statistics, examples, illustrations, quotations,
comparisons, personal experience, etc. Consider HOW MUCH evidence is
provided to support claims that are made, as well as HOW STRONG the evidence
is. Is it current? Is it from reliable sources? Is it firsthand or reported
information? Is it documented?
- In analyzing an author's writing style, consider how the author's use of
paragraph structure, sentence structure, grammar, word usage, punctuation,
even spelling may strengthen or weaken the credibility of the Web site.
- In analyzing other aspects of a Web site, consider things such as
graphics, sound, animation, layout, links, etc. Are they effective? Do
they enhance the text on the Web site or detract from it?
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