CODE Student Worksheet (or download as a *.rtf file)

HTML VERSION: COPY INTO A TEXT EDITOR TO USE

After downloading or formatting, proceed to the WHOIS page and begin.

Name: ___________

Date:   ___________

Website to be evaluated: http://______________________

Using this sheet, you will use five skills to assist in the evaluation of online texts. For each skill the tutorial will provide a specific example of how the research method helps in the evaluation of online texts.

Section (1a): Geography & Ownership: WHOIS

Copy and paste the WHOIS information here:

Now that you have retrieved your WHOIS information, answer the following four questions about your domain name:

(1)   How old is the domain name?

(2)   Who is the domain name registered to, and is there an address associated with the domain name?

(3)   Is the technical, billing, and administrative contact the same person? What are their e-mail addresses?

(4)   What is your perception of the information provided by the domain? Does this information appear deceptive in any way?

(5)   Does someone else, besides the main Internet provider, handle DNS (Domain Name Service) for your website? If so, who?

Section (1b): Geography & Ownership: Traceroute

Copy and paste the Traceroute information here:

Now that you have retrieved your traceroute information, answer the following questions about your website here:

(1)   How many 'hops' away is your website?

(2)   Who is the provider of service for your website? Where are they located?

(3)   Is the website hosted outside of its country of origin? If so, why?

Section (1c): Geography & Ownership: ARIN

Copy and paste the IP information (traceroute output) here:

Now that you have retrieved your IP information, answer the following questions about your IP address here:

(1) When was the IP address first registered by the organization?

(2)   Who is located as the technical contact for your IP address? Is this information similar to what you found in the WHOIS search?

(3)   What other information, if any, stands out? (Often, there will be unique information available through this feature).

Section (2a); Time, Discourse(s) & The Website Proper: Web Archive

Now that you have retrieved the history of your website from http://web.archive.org, answer the following four questions about your website here:

(1)   How has the design of the website changed over time?

(2)   How often has the website changed?

(3)   What justification do you see for the changes made by the author(s)?

(4)   How has the websites functionality changed? Is the website organized more efficiently or obtusely over time?

Section (2b): Time, Discourse(s) & The Website Proper: Contextualizing the Website

Now that you have retrieved your Google information, answer the following questions about your website here:

(1) What conversations does the website as a whole 'fit' into?

(2) What conversations do specific pages on the website fit into?

(3) When did conversations about the website occur?