EAP 1: A Special Day in a Country

The internet is usually the first place we all go when beginning research on a topic. But we have to be aware that not all the information on the internet is accurate and up-to-date, and some resources may not be appropriate for university-level research. This guide will suggest some tactics you can use to decide whether an online resource is reliable and trustworthy.
To tell if a website is an authoritative source, firstly you need to check the domain:

.gov – government site
.com – commercial site
.edu/.ac – educational or research material
.org – organisation (Note: Not all .org sites are the official sites. Check the “About us” information on the site to make sure)
.net – networks, some organisations, Internet Service Providers

For your assignment, you will probably want to look at government websites to view official holidays and events, and avoid commercial sites that may list events that are not officially recognised by that country or include advertising material. Following are a few examples of some English-language sites you may want to consider:

Australia: http://australia.gov.au/topics/culture-history-and-sport/events
United States of America: http://www.usa.gov/citizens/holidays.shtml
New Zealand: http://www.dol.govt.nz/er/holidaysandleave/publicholidays/publicholidaydates/future-dates.asp

Feel free to explore and find other government websites that list their national holidays and events.

Once you have checked the URLs and domains, open the webpage and look closely at the content. Ask yourself the following questions about the webpage (you may want to write down your responses):

Who is the author and can you trust him/her/the organisation?

Is the name of the author or the organisation, group, institution or agency easy to find? If the name is not easy to find, this is your first hint that the source is not reliable.
What are the author’s professional and educational affiliations? Do you recognise any of these groups? Are they respected organisations?

How old is it?

When was the site last updated? Hint: Many websites list the date they were last updated at the end of the page, or listed at the top of each post in the case of blogs.

Can you understand what the author is saying?

Is the information presented clearly and easy to navigate?
Is the writing of a professional standard?
Does the author provide links or references to back up their arguments?
Does the site look professionally put together?

Can you detect a bias? Is this an objective study or a personal opinion?

What is the tone of the writing? Is it humorous, over-the-top, or does it use inappropriate language? Does the author only cover one side of the issue, or are multiple perspectives represented?

Can you find further information linked to this site?

What other websites does this site link to? Are the other sites reputable?
Are other people talking about the site or author?

Who does the site target? Are you the intended audience?

Is this site intended for researchers, professionals in a specific field, the general public, teenagers, children, etc.?
Is the language very technical or very casual?
Does this resource support your university level research?

Weigh up your responses to these questions to decide whether a resource is reliable for your research.
Once you have chosen an event, you can use the following reference resources to begin your research: