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Evaluating Websites   (for Elementary students)

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Good Digital Citizenship: Discerning Sources of Information

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Good Digital Citizenship: Discerning Sources of Information

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6th grade

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Build new knowledge by inquiring, thinking critically, identifying problems, and developing strategies for solving problems.            Learners participate in an ongoing inquiry-based process by: 1. Continually seeking knowledge.2. Engaging in sustained inquiry.3. Enacting new understanding through real-world connections.4. Using reflection to guide informed decisions.

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Build new knowledge by inquiring, thinking critically, identifying problems, and developing strategies for solving problems.            Learners participate in an ongoing inquiry-based process by: 1. Continually seeking knowledge.2. Engaging in sustained inquiry.3. Enacting new understanding through real-world connections.4. Using reflection to guide informed decisions.

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How can you discern the truth in information you find on the internet? How can you be sure that a source is credible?

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How can you discern the truth in information you find on the internet? How can you be sure that a source is credible?

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Research papers are a requirement for most college courses, so knowing how to write a research paper is important. These in-depth pieces of academic writing can seem pretty daunting, but there's no need to panic. When broken down into its key components, writing your paper should be a manageable and, dare we say it, enjoyable task.

We're going to look at the required elements of a paper in detail, and you might also find this webpage to be a useful reference.

What is a Research Paper?

A research paper is more than just an extra long essay or encyclopedic regurgitation of facts and figures. The aim of this task is to combine in-depth study of a particular topic with critical thinking and evaluation by the student-that's you!

There are two main types of research paper: argumentative and analytical.

Argumentative - takes a stance on a particular topic right from the start, with the aim of persuading the reader of the validity of the argument. These are best suited to topics that are debatable or controversial.

Analytical - takes no firm stance on a topic initially. Instead it asks a question and should come to an answer through the evaluation of source material. As its name suggests, the aim is to analyze the source material and offer a fresh perspective on the results.

If you wish to further your understanding, you can learn more here.

How to Write a Research Paper

A required word count (think thousands!) can make writing that paper seem like an insurmountable task. Don't worry! Our step-by-step guide will help you write that killer paper with confidence.

How to Start a Research Paper

Don't rush ahead. Taking care during the planning and preparation stage will save time and hassle later.

Get Clear Instructions

Your lecturer or professor is your biggest ally-after all, they want you to do well. Make sure you get clear guidance from them on both the required format and preferred topics. In some cases, your tutor will assign a topic, or give you a set list to choose from. Often, however, you'll be expected to select a suitable topic for yourself.

Having a research paper example to look at can also be useful for first-timers, so ask your tutor to supply you with one.

Brainstorm Ideas

Brainstorming research paper ideas is the first step to selecting a topic-and there are various methods you can use to brainstorm, including clustering (also known as mind mapping). Think about the research paper topics that interest you, and identify topics you have a strong opinion on.

Choose a Topic

Once you have a list of potential research paper topics, narrow them down by considering your academic strengths and 'gaps in the market,' e.g., don't choose a common topic that's been written about many times before. While you want your topic to be fresh and interesting, you also need to ensure there's enough material available for you to work with. Similarly, while you shouldn't go for easy research paper topics just for the sake of giving yourself less work, you do need to choose a topic that you feel confident you can do justice to.

Outline Your Outline

It might not be possible to form a full research paper outline until you've done some information gathering, but you can think about your overall aim; basically what you want to show and how you're going to show it. Now's also a good time to consider your thesis statement, although this might change as you delve into your source material deeper.

Researching the Research

Now it's time to knuckle down and dig out all the information that's relevant to your topic. Here are some tips.

Make Friends With Your Librarian

While lots of information gathering can be carried out online from anywhere, there's still a place for old-fashioned study sessions in the library. A good librarian can help you to locate sources quickly and easily, and might even make suggestions that you hadn't thought of. They're great at helping you study and research, but probably can't save you the best desk by the window.

Find Quality Sources

Not all sources are created equal, so make sure that you're referring to reputable, reliable information. Examples of sources could include books, magazine articles, scholarly articles, reputable websites, databases and journals. Keywords relating to your topic can help you in your search.

As you search, you should begin to compile a list of references. This will make it much easier later when you are ready to build your paper's bibliography. Keeping clear notes detailing any sources that you use will help you to avoid accidentally plagiarizing someone else's work or ideas.

Understand Your Topic

Simply regurgitating facts and figures won't make for an interesting paper. It's essential that you fully understand your topic so you can come across as an authority on the subject and present your own ideas on it. You should read around your topic as widely as you can, before narrowing your area of interest for your paper, and critically analyzing your findings.

A Detailed Outline

Once you've got a firm grip on your subject and the source material available to you, formulate a detailed outline, including your thesis statement and how you are going to support it. The structure of your paper will depend on the subject type-ask a tutor for a research paper outline example if you're unsure.

Get Writing!

If you've fully understood your topic and gathered quality source materials, bringing it all together should actually be the easy part!

Keep it Factual

There's no place for sloppy writing in this kind of academic task, so keep your language simple and clear, and your points critical and succinct. The creative part is finding innovative angles and new insights on the topic to make your paper interesting.

Don't forget about our verb, preposition, and adverb pages. You may find useful information to help with your writing!

Finalize Your Thesis Statement

You should now be in a position to finalize your thesis statement, showing clearly what your paper will show, answer or prove. This should usually be a one or two sentence statement; however, it's the core idea of your paper, and every insight that you include should be relevant to it. Remember, a thesis statement is not merely a summary of your findings. It should present an argument or perspective that the rest of your paper aims to support.

Think About Format

The required style of your research paper format will usually depend on your subject area. For example, APA format is normally used for social science subjects, while MLA style is most commonly used for liberal arts and humanities. Still, there are thousands of more styles. Your tutor should be able to give you clear guidance on how to format your paper, how to structure it, and what elements it should include. Make sure that you follow their instruction. If possible, ask to see a sample research paper in the required format.

Cite, Cite and Cite

As all research paper topics invariably involve referring to other people's work, it's vital that you know how to properly cite your sources to avoid unintentional plagiarism. Whether you're paraphrasing (putting someone else's ideas into your own words) or directly quoting, the original source needs to be referenced. What style of citation formatting you use will depend on the requirements of your instructor, with common styles including APA and MLA format, which consist of in-text citations (short citations within the text, enclosed with parentheses) and a reference/works cited list.

The Editing Process

It's likely that your paper will go through several drafts before you arrive at the very best version. The editing process is your chance to fix any weak points in your paper before submission. You might find that it needs a better balance of both primary and secondary sources (click through to find more info on the difference), that an adjective could use tweaking, or that you've included sources that aren't relevant or credible. You might even feel that you need to be clearer in your argument, more thorough in your critical analysis, or more balanced in your evaluation.

From a stylistic point of view, you want to ensure that your writing is clear, simple and concise, with no long, rambling sentences or paragraphs. Keeping within the required word count parameters is also important, and another thing to keep in mind is the inclusion of gender-neutral language, to avoid the reinforcement of tired stereotypes.

Don't forget about our other pages! If you are looking for help with other grammar-related topics, check out our noun, pronoun, and conjunction pages.

Final Checks

Once you're happy with the depth and balance of the arguments and points presented, you can turn your attention to the finer details, such as formatting, spelling, punctuation, grammar and ensuring that your citations are all present and correct. The EasyBib Plus plagiarism checker is a handy tool for making sure that your sources are all cited. An EasyBib Plus subscription also comes with access to citation tools that can help you create citations in your choice of format.

Also, double-check your deadline date and the submissions guidelines to avoid any last-minute issues. Take a peek at our other grammar pages while you're at it. We've included numerous links on this page, but we also have an interjection page and determiner page.

And Relax

So you've done your final checks and handed in your paper according to the submissions guidelines and preferably before deadline day. Congratulations! If your schedule permits, now would be a great time to take a break from your studies. Maybe plan a fun activity with friends or just take the opportunity to rest and relax. A well-earned break from the books will ensure that you return to class refreshed and ready for your next stage of learning-and the next research paper requirement your tutor sets!

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Research papers are a requirement for most college courses, so knowing how to write a research paper is important. These in-depth pieces of academic writing can seem pretty daunting, but there's no need to panic. When broken down into its key components, writing your paper should be a manageable and, dare we say it, enjoyable task.

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It can be frustrating to conduct online research because internet sources can be quite unreliable. If you find an online article that provides relevant information for your research topic, you should take care to investigate the source to make sure it is valid and reliable. This is an essential step in maintaining sound research ethics.

It is your responsibility as a researcher to find and use trustworthy sources.

Methods to Investigate Your Source

Investigate the Author

In most cases, you should stay away from internet information that doesn't provide the name of an author. While the information contained in the article may be true, it is more difficult to validate information if you don't know the credentials of the author.

If the author is named, find their website to:

Verify educational credits

Discover if the writer is published in a scholarly journal

See if the writer has published a book from a university press

Verify that the writer is employed by a research institution or university

Observe the URL

If the information is linked to an organization, try to determine the reliability of the sponsoring organization. One tip is the URL ending. If the site name ends with .edu, it is most likely an educational institution. Even so, you should be aware of political bias.

If a site ends in .gov, it is most likely a reliable government website. Government sites are usually good sources for statistics and objective reports.

Sites that end in .org are usually non-profit organizations. They can be very good sources or very poor sources, so you'll have to take care to research their possible agendas or political biases if they exist.

For instance, collegeboard.org is the organization that provides the SAT and other tests. You can find valuable information, statistics, and advice on that site. PBS.org is a non-profit organization that provides educational public broadcasts. It provides a wealth of quality articles on its site.

Other sites with the .org ending are advocacy groups that are highly political. While it is entirely possible to find reliable information from a site like this, be mindful of the political slant and acknowledge this in your work.

Online Journals and Magazines

A reputable journal or magazine should contain a bibliography for every article. The list of sources within that bibliography should be pretty extensive, and it should include scholarly non-Internet sources. Check for statistics and data within the article to back up the claims made by the author. Does the writer provide evidence to support his statements? Look for citations of recent studies, perhaps with footnotes and see if there are primary quotes from other relevant experts in the field.

News Sources

﻿ Every television and print news source has a website. To some extent, you can rely on the most trusted news sources such as CNN and the BBC, but you should not rely on them exclusively. After all, network and cable news stations are involved in entertainment. Think of them as a stepping stone to more reliable sources.

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The Internet is a great tool for research, but it is also a public forum. Determining what's valid and viable is important.

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For every credible website, there are dozens chock full of information that's inaccurate, unreliable or just plain nutty. For the unwary, inexperienced journalist or researcher, such sites can present a minefield of possible problems.

With that in mind, here are eight ways to tell if a website is reliable.

1. Look for Established Institutions

The internet is full of websites that were started five minutes ago. What you want are sites associated with trusted institutions that have been around for a while and have a proven track record of reliability and integrity.

Such sites may include those run by government agencies, nonprofit organizations, foundations, or colleges and universities.

2. Look for Sites with Expertise

You wouldn't go to an auto mechanic if you broke your leg, and you wouldn't go to the hospital to have your car repaired. This is an obvious point: Look for websites that specialize in the kind of information you're seeking. So if you're writing a story on a flu outbreak, check out medical websites, such as The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and so on.

3. Steer Clear of Commercial Sites

Sites run by companies and business-their websites usually end in .com-are more often than not trying to sell you something. And if they're trying to sell you something, chances are whatever information they're presenting will be tilted in favor of their product. That's not to say corporate sites should be excluded entirely. But be wary.

4. Beware of Bias

Reporters write a lot about politics, and there are plenty of political websites out there. But many of them are run by groups that have a bias in favor of one political party or philosophy. A conservative website isn't likely to report objectively on a liberal politician, and vice versa. Steer clear of sites with a political ax to grind and instead look for ones that are non-partisan.

5. Check the Date

As a reporter, you need the most up-to-date information available, so if a website seems old, it's probably best to steer clear. One way to check: Look for a "last updated" date on the page or site.

6. Consider the Site's Look

If a site looks poorly designed and amateurish, chances are it was created by amateurs. Sloppy writing is another bad sign. Steer clear. But be careful: Just because a website is professionally designed doesn't mean it's reliable.

7. Avoid Anonymous Authors

Articles or studies whose authors are named are often-though not always-more reliable than works produced anonymously. It makes sense: If someone is willing to put their name on something they've written, chances are they stand by the information it contains. And if you have the name of the author, you can always Google them to check their credentials.

8. Check the Links

Reputable websites often link to each other. You can find out which other websites link to the site you're researching by conducting a link-specific Google search. Enter the following text into the Google search field, replacing "[WEBSITE]" with the domain of the site you're researching:

link:http://www.[WEBSITE].com

The search results will show you which websites link to the one you're researching. If lots of sites are linking to your site, and those sites seem reputable, that's a good sign.

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Here Are 8 Ways You Can Tell If a Website Is Trustworthy

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For every credible website, there are dozens chock full of information that's inaccurate, unreliable or just plain nutty. For the unwary, inexperienced journalist or researcher, such sites can present a minefield of possible problems. With that in mind, here are eight ways to tell if a website is reliable.

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Subject Guides: Step-by-Step Guide & Research Rescue: Evaluating Credibility

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Skip to Main Content It looks like you're using Internet Explorer 11 or older. This website works best with modern browsers such as the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. If you continue with this browser, you may see unexpected results.

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Whether you're conducting research for a book report, an essay, or a news article, finding trustworthy sources of information is essential. This is crucial for a few reasons. First, you want to be sure that the information you're using is based on fact and not on opinion. Second, your readers are placing their trust in your ability to gauge a source's reliability. And third, by using legitimate sources, you're protecting your reputation as a writer.

An Exercise in Trust

It can be helpful to put the topic of trustworthy sources into perspective with an exercise. Imagine that you are walking down a neighborhood street and you come upon a disturbing scene. A man is lying on the ground with a leg wound and several paramedics and police officers are buzzing around him. A small spectator crowd has gathered, so you approach one of the bystanders to ask what happened.

"This guy was jogging down the street and a big dog came running out and attacked him," the man says.

You take a few steps and approach a woman. You ask her what happened.

"This man was trying to rob that house and a dog bit him," she replies.

Two different people have given different accounts of an event. To get closer to the truth, you'll have to find out if either person is connected to the event in any way. You soon discover that the man is a friend of the bite victim. You also realize that the woman is the dog's owner. Now, what do you believe? It's probably time to find a third source of information and one who is not a stakeholder in this scene.

Bias Factors

In the scene described above, both witnesses have a big stake in the outcome of this event. If the police determine that an innocent jogger was attacked by a dog, the dog's owner is subject to fines and further legal trouble. If the police determine that the apparent jogger was actually involved in an illegal activity at the time he was bitten, the wounded man faces a penalty and the woman is off the hook.

If you were a news reporter, you would have to determine whom to trust by digging deeper and making an assessment of each source. You would have to collect details and determine if your witnesses' statements are trustworthy or not. Bias can stem from many causes:

Stakeholders' ambitions

Preconceived beliefs

Political designs

Sloppy research

Every eyewitness account of an event involves points of view and opinion to some degree. It is your job to assess each person's trustworthiness by scrutinizing their statements for potential bias.

What To Look For

It is nearly impossible after an event has occurred to determine the exactness of every detail. The following tips will help you determine the trustworthiness of your sources:

Every writer, lecturer, reporter, and teacher has an opinion. The most reliable sources are straightforward about how and why they are presenting their information to the public.

An Internet article that provides news but does not provide a list of sources is not very trustworthy. An article that lists its sources, either in the text or in a bibliography, and places those sources into context is more reliable.

An article that is published by a reputable media organization or reputable institution (such as a university or research organization) is also trustworthy.

Books are generally considered more trustworthy because the author and publisher are clearly stated and they are held responsible. When a book publisher publishes a book, that publisher takes responsibility for its truthfulness.

News organizations are generally for-profit businesses (there are exceptions, such as National Public Radio, which is a non-profit organization). If you use these as sources, you must consider their many stakeholders and political slants.

Fiction is made up, so fiction is not a good source of information. Even movies based on real events are fiction.

Memoirs and autobiographies are nonfiction, but they contain a single person's point of view and opinions. If you use an autobiography as a source, you must acknowledge that the information is one-sided.

A nonfiction book that provides a bibliography of sources is more trustworthy than a book that does not.

An article that is published in a scholarly journal is usually scrutinized for accuracy by a team of editors and fact-checkers. University presses are particularly good sources for nonfiction and scholarly works.

Some sources are peer-reviewed. These books and articles go before a panel of non-stakeholding professionals for review and assessment. This body of professionals acts as a small jury to determine truthfulness. Peer-reviewed articles are very trustworthy.

Research is a quest for truth. Your job as a researcher is to use the most trustworthy sources to find the most accurate information. Your job also involves using a variety of sources, to reduce the chances that you are relying on tainted, opinion-filled evidence.

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Whether you're conducting research for a book report, an essay, or a news article, finding trustworthy sources of information is essential. This is crucial for a few reasons. First, you want to be sure that the information you're using is based on fact and not on opinion.

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What's the Bottom Line?

How much do we know about online resources for complementary health approaches?

The number of Web and social media sites, along with mobile apps, offering health information about complementary and integrative health approaches (often called complementary and alternative medicine) grows every day.

What do we know about the accuracy of online health information?

Some online sources of information on complementary health approaches are useful, but others are inaccurate or misleading.

Don't rely on online resources when making decisions about your health. If you're considering a complementary health approach, discuss it with your health care provider.

Checking Out Online Sources of Health Information: Five Quick Questions

If you're visiting an online health site for the first time or downloading a new app, ask these five questions:

1. Who runs or created the site or app? Can you trust them?

2. What is the site or app promising or offering? Do its claims seem too good to be true?

3. When was its information written or reviewed? Is it up-to-date?

4. Where does the information come from? Is it based on scientific research?

5. Why does the site or app exist? Is it selling something?

Finding Health Information on the Internet: How To Start

If you're looking for information about complementary and integrative health approaches:

Finding Health Information on Social Media

About one-third of American adults use social networking sites, such as Facebook or Twitter, as a source of health information. If you do:

Check the sponsor's Web site.
Health information on social networking sites is often very brief. For more information, go to the sponsoring organization's Web site. On Twitter, look for a link to the Web site in the header; on Facebook, look in the About section.

Verify that social media accounts are what they claim to be.

Some social networking sites have a symbol that an account has been verified. For example, Twitter uses a blue badge.

Use the link from the organization's official Web site to go to its social networking sites.

Finding Health Information on Mobile Health Apps

There are thousands of mobile apps (a software program you access using your phone or other mobile device) that provide health information you can read on your mobile devices. Almost 20 percent of smartphone owners had at least one health app on their phones in 2012.

Keep these things in mind when using a mobile health app:

The content of most apps isn't written or reviewed by medical experts and may be inaccurate and unsafe. In addition, the information you enter when using an app may not be secure.

There's little research on the benefits, risks, and impact of health apps, such as the many mindfulness meditation apps that are now available.

It's not always easy to know what personal information an app will access or how it will store your data.

Before you download an app, find out if the store you get the app from says who created it. Don't trust the app if contact or Web site information for the creator isn't available.

Some of the health information you'll find online is in the form of news reports. Some of these reports are reliable, but others are confusing, conflicting, or misleading, or they may be missing important information. To find out how to evaluate news stories about complementary health, visit our interactive module Know the Science: The Facts About Health News Stories.

More Questions To Ask When Finding Health Information on Web Sites

Your search for online health information may start at a known, trusted site, but after following several links, you may find yourself on an unfamiliar site. Can you trust this site? Here are some key questions you need to ask.

Who runs and pays for the Web site?

Any reliable health-related Web site should make it easy for you to learn who's responsible for the site. For example, on the NCCIH Web site, each major page identifies NCCIH and, because NCCIH is part of NIH, provides a link to the NIH home page. You should be able to find out who runs a Web site and its purpose on the "About Us" page.

A Web address (such as NCCIH's) that ends in ".gov" means it's a government-sponsored site; ".edu" indicates an educational institution; ".org" usually means a noncommercial organization and ".com" a commercial organization. Some ".org" sites belong to organizations that promote an agenda; their content may be biased.

Who pays for the site? Does the site sell advertising? Is it sponsored by a company that sells dietary supplements, drugs, or other products or services? Confirm any information you find on a site that sells products with an independent site that doesn't sell products.

What's the source of the information?

Many health or medical sites post information collected from other Web sites or sources, which should be identified. For example, the Health Topics A-Z page on the NCCIH site provides links to documents that NCCIH didn't create-but we name the sources of the documents.

How do you know if the information is accurate?

The site should describe the evidence (such as articles in medical journals) that the material is based on. Also, opinions or advice should be clearly set apart from information that's "evidence-based" (based on research results). For example, if a site discusses health benefits you can expect from a treatment, look for references to scientific research that clearly support what's said.

Keep in mind that testimonials, anecdotes, unsupported claims, and opinions aren't the same as objective, evidence-based information.

Is the information reviewed by experts?

You can be more confident in the quality of medical information on a Web site if health experts reviewed it. Some Web sites have an editorial board that reviews content. Others put the names and credentials of reviewers in an Acknowledgments section near the end of the page.

How current is the information?

Outdated medical information can be misleading or even dangerous. Responsible health Web sites review and update much of their content on a regular basis, especially fact sheets and lists of frequently asked questions (FAQs). However, content such as news reports or meeting summaries that describe an event usually isn't updated. To find out whether information is old, look for a date on the page (it's often near the bottom).

What's the site's policy about linking to other sites?

Some sites don't link to any other sites, some link to any site that asks or pays for a link, and others link only to sites that meet certain criteria. You may be able to find information on the site about its linking policy. (For example, NCCIH's linking policy is available on the NCCIH Web Site Information and Policies page.)

Unless the site's linking policy is strict, don't assume that the sites that it links to are reliable. You should evaluate the linked sites just as you would any other site that you're visiting for the first time.

How does the site collect and handle personal information? Is the site secure?

Web sites track what pages you're looking at. They may also ask you to "subscribe" or "become a member." Any credible site collecting this kind of information should tell you exactly what it will and won't do with it.

Many commercial sites sell "aggregate" (collected) data about their users to other companies-information such as what percentage of their users are women over 40. In some cases, they may collect and reuse information that's "personally identifiable," such as your ZIP Code, gender, and birth date.

Read any privacy policy or similar language on the site, and don't sign up for anything you don't fully understand. You can find NCCIH's privacy policy on the NCCIH Web site.

See if the address (URL) for the site starts with "https://" instead of "http://." Sites that use HTTPS (Secure Hyper Text Transfer Protocol) are encrypted, less likely to be hacked, and more likely to protect your privacy.

Can you communicate with the owner of the Web site?

You should always be able to contact the site owner if you run across problems or have questions or feedback. If the site hosts online discussion forums or message boards, it should explain the terms of use.

Is it safe to link to Twitter or Facebook through a Web site?

If the site is linked to social networking sites such as Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube, spend some time reading what has been posted to see whether you feel comfortable with the tone before joining in. You may also be able to review past discussions. For example, NCCIH has an archive of Twitter and Facebook chats. Also, look for a comments policy on the Web site, such as NCCIH's social media comments policy.

More information about online health resources is available from the following sources:

Are You Reading News or Advertising?

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has warned the public about fake online news sites. The site may look real, but is actually an advertisement. The site may use the logos of legitimate news organizations or similar names and Web addresses. To get you to sign up for whatever they're selling, they may describe an "investigation" into the effectiveness of the product. But everything is fake: there is no reporter, no news organization, and no investigation. Only the links to a sales site are real. Fake news sites have promoted questionable products, including acai berry for weight loss, work-at-home opportunities, and debt reduction plans.

You should suspect that a news site may be fake if it:

Endorses a product. Real news organizations generally don't do this.

Only quotes people who say good things about the product.

Presents research findings that seem too good to be true. (If something seems too good to be true, it usually is.)

Contains links to a sales site.

Includes only positive reader comments, and you can't add a comment of your own.

Read more information about fake news sites

How To Protect Yourself From Fake News Sites

If you suspect that a news site is fake, look for a disclaimer somewhere on the page (often in small print) that indicates that the site is an advertisement. Also, don't rely on Internet news reports when making important decisions about your health. If you're considering a health product described in the news, discuss it with your health care provider.

Read more information about health fraud

More to Consider

If you're thinking about using a dietary supplement, first get information on it from reliable sources. Keep in mind that dietary supplements may interact with medications or other supplements and may contain ingredients not listed on the label. Your health care provider can advise you.

Take charge of your health-talk with your health care providers about any complementary health approaches you use. Together, you can make shared, well-informed decisions.

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The number of Web and social media sites, along with mobile apps, offering health information about complementary and integrative health approaches (often called complementary and alternative medicine) grows every day. Some online sources of information on complementary health approaches are useful, but others are inaccurate or misleading.

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WELCOME

Welcome to the web site for the Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division (DMRD), currently located in Newark, Delaware. The controversy surrounding dihydrogen monoxide has never been more widely debated, and the goal of this site is to provide an unbiased data clearinghouse and a forum for public discussion.

Explore our many Special Reports , including the , a definitive primer on the subject, plus reports on the environment , , current , and an insider exposé about the use of DHMO in the dairy industry .

The success of this site depends on you, the citizen concerned about Dihydrogen Monoxide. We welcome your comments and suggestions.
Send us your feedback!
Due to the high volume of email we receive, we may not be able to reply to every letter. However, we do read them all.

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Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division - dihydrogen monoxide info

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Dihydrogen Monoxide resources, information, research and more. Dihydrogen Monoxide is a dangerous chemical. Buy a Ban Dihydrogen Monoxide T-shirt.

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The offical website for NOVA. NOVA is the most-watched prime time science series on American television, reaching an average of five million viewers weekly.

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Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, the Island University, has been proudly providing a solid academic offering of more than 80 of the most popular degree programs in the state.

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Help Save The ENDANGERED

From EXTINCTION!

The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus

Rare photo of the elusive tree octopus
(Enhanced from cropped telephoto)

The Pacific Northwest tree octopus ( Octopus paxarbolis) can be found in the temperate rainforests of the Olympic Peninsula on the west coast of North America. Their habitat lies on the Eastern side of the Olympic mountain range, adjacent to Hood Canal. These solitary cephalopods reach an average size (measured from arm-tip to mantle-tip,) of 30-33 cm. Unlike most other cephalopods, tree octopuses are amphibious, spending only their early life and the period of their mating season in their ancestral aquatic environment. Because of the moistness of the rainforests and specialized skin adaptations, they are able to keep from becoming desiccated for prolonged periods of time, but given the chance they would prefer resting in pooled water.

An intelligent and inquisitive being (it has the largest brain-to-body ratio for any mollusk), the tree octopus explores its arboreal world by both touch and sight. Adaptations its ancestors originally evolved in the three dimensional environment of the sea have been put to good use in the spatially complex maze of the coniferous Olympic rainforests. The challenges and richness of this environment (and the intimate way in which it interacts with it,) may account for the tree octopus's advanced behavioral development. (Some evolutionary theorists suppose that "arboreal adaptation" is what laid the groundwork in primates for the evolution of the human mind.)

Reaching out with one of her eight arms, each covered in sensitive suckers, a tree octopus might grab a branch to pull herself along in a form of locomotion called tentaculation; or she might be preparing to strike at an insect or small vertebrate, such as a frog or rodent, or steal an egg from a bird's nest; or she might even be examining some object that caught her fancy, instinctively desiring to manipulate it with her dexterous limbs (really deserving the title "sensory organs" more than mere "limbs",) in order to better know it.

Map of estimated tree octopus maximum range, including spawning waters

Tree octopuses have eyesight comparable to humans. Besides allowing them to see their prey and environment, it helps them in inter-octopus relations. Although they are not social animals like us, they display to one-another their emotions through their ability to change the color of their skin: red indicates anger, white fear, while they normally maintain a mottled brown tone to blend in with the background.

The reproductive cycle of the tree octopus is still linked to its roots in the waters of the Puget Sound from where it is thought to have originated. Every year, in Spring, tree octopuses leave their homes in the Olympic National Forest and migrate towards the shore and, eventually, their spawning grounds in Hood Canal. There, they congregate (the only real social time in their lives,) and find mates. After the male has deposited his sperm, he returns to the forests, leaving the female to find an aquatic lair in which to attach her strands of egg-clusters. The female will guard and care for her eggs until they hatch, refusing even to eat, and usually dying from her selflessness. The young will spend the first month or so floating through Hood Canal, Admiralty Inlet, and as far as North Puget Sound before eventually moving out of the water and beginning their adult lives.

Why It's Endangered

Route 101, separating the rainforests of the Olympic Peninsula from Hood Canal

Although the tree octopus is not officially listed on the Endangered Species List, we feel that it should be added since its numbers are at a critically low level for its breeding needs. The reasons for this dire situation include: decimation of habitat by logging and suburban encroachment; building of roads that cut off access to the water which it needs for spawning; predation by foreign species such as house cats; and booming populations of its natural predators, including the bald eagle and sasquatch. What few that make it to the Canal are further hampered in their reproduction by the growing problem of pollution from farming and residential run-off. Unless immediate action is taken to protect this species and its habitat, the Pacific Northwest tree octopus will be but a memory.

The possibility of Pacific Northwest tree octopus extinction is not an unwarranted fear. Other tree octopus species-including the Douglas octopus and the red-ringed madrona sucker-were once abundant throughout the Cascadia region, but have since gone extinct because of threats similar to those faced by paxarbolis, as well as overharvesting by the now-illegal tree octopus trade.

Tree Octopus hat from 1923

The history of the tree octopus trade is a sad one. Their voracious appetite for bird plumes having exhausted all the worthy species of that family, the fashionistas moved on to cephalopodic accoutrements during the early 20th Century. Tree octopuses became prized by the fashion industry as ornamental decorations for hats, leading greedy trappers to wipe out whole populations to feed the vanity of the fashionable rich. While fortunately this practice has been outlawed, its effects still reverberate today as these millinery deprivations brought tree octopus numbers below the critical point where even minor environmental change could cause disaster.

While efforts were made in the past to preserve remaining tree octopus habitat, these were met with resistance by the timber industry, which has traditionally viewed the tree octopus as a nuisance, both because the octopuses favor the valuable, moss-shrouded trees of old growth forests-pitting conservation needs against lucrative sources of lumber-and because octopuses hiding among felled trees often gummed up sawmills and stained pulp vats with their ink.

Traveling sideshow exhibits, such as this one by Glen "Bones" Hartzell from 1942, demonized tree octopuses to the ignorant masses
(Click to enlarge)

These nuisances led many loggers to regard tree octopuses as bad luck, resulting in the pointless killing of octopuses on sight at logging camps in a misguided attempt at eradicating the troublesome species. Anti-octopus sentiment was so strong among loggers that some even began to fear that the octopuses were prone to attacking humans.

These fears were fueled in no small part by gratuitous stories involving tree octopuses harassing lumberjacks and distressing damsels in Northwestern-themed pulp magazines of the 1930-40s and variously "nipping", "entangling", or "suckering the flesh" of the heroes of men's action magazines of the 1950-60s. (The magazine publishers depended on cheap paper made from wood pulp and were glad to contribute to the anti-octopus propaganda campaign of the timber industry.)

To this day, misunderstanding and fear of these gentle creatures can still be found among many old timers, although education campaigns-and special octopus-separators installed at sawmills-have largely halted the practice of tree octopus eradication.

How You Can Help

More Tree Octopus Information

Posters motivate the citizenry to action! Post them!

Tree Octopus FAQs - Frequently asked questions, now with answers.

Tree Octopus Sightings - Includes photos of and behavioral research on the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus and other tree octopus species.

Tree Octopus In The Media - appearances of tree octopuses, both real and fictional, in the media and popular culture.

Research On Other Tree Octopus Species:

The author of this article and its subsections is Lyle Zapato.
This site is not associated with any school or educational organization,
other than the Kelvinic University branch of the Wild Haggis Conservation Society.
Not to be confused with the Pacific Northwest Octopus Tree.

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Information about the endangered Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus and what you can do to save it.

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NOW IN BOOK FORM!

Welcome to the AFDB Website

This site is dedicated to spreading the word about the Aluminum* Foil Deflector Beanie and how it can help the average human. Here you will find a description of AFDBs, how to make and use them, and general information about related subjects. I hope that you find the AFDB Homepage to be an important source of AFDB know-how and advocacy.

What Is An AFDB?

An Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanie (AFDB) is a type of headwear that can shield your brain from most electromagnetic psychotronic mind control carriers. AFDBs are inexpensive (even free if you don't mind scrounging for thrown-out aluminium foil) and can be constructed by anyone with at least the dexterity of a chimp (maybe bonobo). This cheap and unobtrusive form of mind control protection offers real security to the masses. Not only do they protect against incoming signals, but they also block most forms of brain scanning and mind reading, keeping the secrets in your head truly secret. AFDBs are safe and operate automatically. All you do is make it and wear it and you're good to go! Plus, AFDBs are stylish and comfortable.

What are you waiting for? Make one today!

REBUTTAL TO THE MIT ANTI-AFDB STUDY: Rahimi et al.'s paper "On the Effectiveness of Aluminium Foil Helmets: An Empirical Study" has serious flaws that make its conclusion highly suspect. Read more...

BEWARE OF COMMERCIAL AFDBS: Since you should trust no one, always construct your AFDB yourself to avoid the risk of subversion and mental enslavement. Sometimes, AFDBs will be sold on places like eBay. Do not purchase these pre-made AFDBs, even if the seller seems trustworthy. They may contain backdoors, pinholes, integrated psychotronic circuitry or other methods that actually promote mind control.

AMIGA AND LINUX USERS: It is advised that you get a copy of MindGuard for your personal anti-psychotronic needs. Although an AFDB is an effective guard against most forms of psychotronic mind control, it is no substitute for the comprehensive protection afforded by MindGuard.

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Information about psychotronic mind control blockage using an Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanie

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Gerald Aungst, BFA, MBA, DDS, is the Webmaster and Lead Designer for AllAboutExplorers.com. He works as a part-time custodian at Oceanside Community College in Casper, Wyoming, and frequently audits graduate level courses in differential histrionics when he is not sweeping and mopping the campus beach. Gerald is something of an explorer himself, having visited six of the seven major continents and a few minor ones as well. Since 1991, he was living eleven feet, three inches to the west of the summit of Mt. Marianas, but recently moved. His whereabouts are presently unknown.

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Dr. Eton Kroe, BTDt, MRe, PdQ, recently joined the growing staff of AllAboutExplorers.com as our Chief Researcher and Shipwright-At-Large. Dr. Kroe comes to us from the University of Demiglace-on-Seine, where he spent several years as Professor of Mythology (Urban). When he is not writing for our site, he can be found working for the non-profit "Cards For Carl" program, where he organizes email campaigns to solicit get well cards for poor, little Carl Shamm, who is now a 33-year-old fry cook at the Westside Diner (next to Nancy's Hair Salon on the Crosstown Throughway) and has been in remission for 19 years and really doesn't want any more get well cards. Please forward this to everyone in your contacts list.

Lochten deBrigg VI, Esq. , is our Legal and Political Analyst and Doughnut Glazer Laureate. He is rather equivocal about his full-time career, but we are told it involves playing cards and frequent relocation. He is widely traveled and is well acquainted with the personnel and facilities in many jurisdictions. In his spare time, Lochten enjoys reading, playing chess, and metal working. He considers his sheet metal sculptures to be "Traveling Artwork" and his pieces have been widely seen on automobiles in seven states. Lochten is currently in disguise, living with his mother.

Hmm...not buying it? Click here for the real story.

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Gerald Aungst, BFA, MBA, DDS, is the Webmaster and Lead Designer for AllAboutExplorers.com. He works as a part-time custodian at Oceanside Community College in Casper, Wyoming, and frequently audits graduate level courses in differential histrionics when he is not sweeping and mopping the campus beach.

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Feline Reactions to Bearded Men

by Catherine Maloney, Fairfield University, Fairfield, Connecticut, Sarah J. Lichtblau, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois Nadya Karpook, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida Carolyn Chou, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Anthony Arena-DeRosa, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Abstract

Cats were exposed to photographs of bearded men. The beards were of various sizes, shapes, and styles. The cats' responses were recorded and analyzed.

Findings of Prior Investigators

Boone (1958) found inconclusive results in studying feline reactions to clean-shaven men. O'Connor and Brynner (1990) found inconclusive results in studying feline reactions to shaven heads. Quant (1965) found inconclusive results in studying feline reactions to bangs. Seuss (1955) found inconclusive results in studying feline reactions to hats. Ciccone (1986) found inconclusive results in studying feline reactions to hairy legs. Other related studies (Smith/Brothers 1972, Conroy 1987, Schwartzenegger 1983) have since been retracted because the investigators were not able to reproduce their results.

Norquist (1988) performed a series of experiments in which cats were exposed to photographs of Robert Bork[1] (not pictured here), a man whose beard is confined largely to the underside of the jaw. After viewing the Bork photograph, 26% of the cats exhibited paralysis of the legs and body, including the neck. An additional 31% of the cats exposed to the Bork photograph showed other types of severe neurological and/or pulmocardial distress and/or exhibited extremely violent behavior. Because of this, we did not include a photograph of this type of bearded man in our study.

Materials

Five photographs were used in the study. The photographs, reproduced here, display a range of different types of bearded men. (As noted above, one type of bearded man was, however, excluded from use in this study.)

The test subjects were female cats, all between the ages of four and six. 214 cats participated in the study. Three cats died during the study, due to causes unrelated to the bearded men. Fifteen cats gave birth while viewing the photographs.[2]

Methods

Each cat was exposed to the photographs. One photograph was shown at a time. Each photograph was visible for a span of twenty seconds. The photographs were presented in the same order to each cat.

While each cat was viewing the photographs, it was held by a laboratory assistant. To ensure that the cats were not influenced by stroking or other unconscious cues from the assistant, the assistant was anesthetized prior to each session. The cats' reactions were assessed for changes in pulse rate, respiration, eye dilation, fur shed rate, and qualitative behavior.

Results

The results are presented in Table 1. The quantitative results are average values calculated over the entire feline subject population. The qualitative results are broken out by percentages of the subject population.

Table 1



Pulse Rate:

Runkel:         +42%

Crafts:        unchanged

Despradelle:   +87%

Pritchett:     +2%

Wiener:        unchanged



Respiration:

Runkel:        +186%

Crafts:        unchanged

Despradelle:   +317%

Pritchett:     + 3%

Wiener:        unchanged



Eye Dilation:

Runkel:        +23%

Crafts:        +1%

Despradelle:   +31%

Pritchett:     +3%

Wiener:        unchanged



Fur Shed Rate:

Runkel:        +12%

Crafts:        unchanged

Despradelle:   +19%

Pritchett:     +2%

Wiener:        unchanged



Qualitative Behavior:

Runkel:

          52% attacked photograph; hissing; spitting;

                generally agitated behavior.

          34% fled.

          14% had no visible response.

Crafts:

          2% attacked photograph.

          1% fled.

          1% licked photograph.

          94% had no visible response.



Despradelle:

          79% attacked photograph; hissing; spitting;

                generally violent, agitated behavior; chaotic

                tail twitch; screeching; incontinence.

          19% fled.

          2% had no visible response.

Pritchett:

          7% attacked photograph.

          1% fled.

          91% had no visible response.



Wiener:        (100%) No visible response.

Interpretation

1. Cats do not like men with long beards, especially long dark beards.

2. Cats are indifferent to men with shorter beards.

3. Cats are confused and/or disturbed by men with beards that are incomplete (e.g., Bork) and to a lesser degree by men whose beards have missing parts (e.g., Crafts).

These interpretations are not categorical. They are subject to several obvious qualifications. The most notable are listed below.

Qualification A. This study excluded photographs of men with beards confined largely to the underside of the jaw (see above discussion of Robert Bork). While data are available from studies conducted by other investigators, those studies made use of a different methodology than the one we used in our study. We are therefore hesitant to interpret our findings in light of the "Bork" findings, or vice versa.

Qualification B. This study was conducted with photographs of bearded men. In a future study we intend to investigate feline responses to animate bearded men. A large number of factors might produce significantly different results in the two studies. In particular, there has been speculation that bearded men produce pheromones which could have a significant effect on cats.[3]

Acknowledgments

The author wishes to thank The MIT Museum Collection for allowing us to use photographs from its Bearded Men Collection and for generously granting permission to reproduce the photographs as part of this research report. Special thanks to Sally Beddow for assistance in selecting appropriate photographs (the Collection includes more than 71,000 photographs of bearded men) and to Warren Seamans and Kathy Thurston. Special thanks also to Lisa Yane for coordinating the scheduling, travel and housing arrangements for the feline subjects and for obtaining medical clearances in connection with anesthetizing the research assistant.

Notes

1. Bork was a nominee to the United States Supreme Court. Because of Bork's distinctive beard, his photograph has been used in reaction studies with dogs, rats, and planaria (flatworms) and in bombardment studies with pigeons.

2. We excluded all data pertaining to the fifteen cats who gave birth while viewing the photographs. The reproducibility of the GAVE BIRTH/DID NOT GIVE BIRTH data will be addressed in a separate, future study.

3. Photographs do not, of course, produce pheromones, but they do emanate airborne scents derived from chemicals used in the photo developing process. Our study with animate bearded men will employ a strategy to eliminate this imbalance: before being shown to the cats, each bearded man will be immersed in a photochemical bath.

Bibliography

Boone, Patrick, "Cat Reactions to Clean-Shaven Men," in Western Musicology Journal, March/April 1958, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 4-21.

Ciccone, Madonna Louise, "Feline Responses to Hairy Legs," in Midwestern Sociological Review, January 1986, vol. 32, no. 1, pp 51-79.

Conroy, Gary, "Feline Responses to Ponytails," in Urban Sociology Review, November 25, 1987, vol. 21, no. 36, pp. 302-321.

Norquist, Winthrop Grover, "Feline Reactions to Supreme Court Nominees," in Journal of Feline Forensic Studies, vol. 12, no. 8, August 1988, pp. 437-450.

O'Connor, Sinead, and Brynner, Y., "Feline Responses to Shaven Heads," in Journal of Head Trauma, May 30, 1990, vol. 42, no. 17, pp. 309-324.

Quant, Mary, "Cat Responses to Bangs," in Tonsological Proceedings, May 1965, vol. 3, no. 5, pp. 251-262.

Schwartzenegger, A., "A Study of How Cats Respond to Body Hair," in Mind/Body Review, December 1983, vol. 3, no. 12, pp. 25-108.

Seuss, Doctor, "Feline Responses to Hats," in Veterinary Developmental Studies, July 1955, vol. 32, no. 7, pp. 54-62.

Smith, J., and Brothers, Joyce, "Feline Responses to Healthy Adults," in Health Advice, September 1972, vol. 51, no. 9, pp. 32-33.

NOTE: After this report was published, the authors continued their research.
A later report (including newly discovered historical photos of cats reacting to Abraham Lincoln, Csar Nicholas, and others) can be seen in the Sept./Oct. 1999 issue (vol. 5, no. 5) of the Annals of Improbable Research.
And still further reports appear in many of the subsequent issues of the magazine. Also see the report Feline Reactions to Bearded Men of Beard Type #55G.

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by Catherine Maloney, Fairfield University, Fairfield, Connecticut, Sarah J. Lichtblau, University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois Nadya Karpook, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida Carolyn Chou, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Anthony Arena-DeRosa, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts Cats were exposed to photographs of bearded men. The beards were of various sizes, shapes, and styles.