Dale Stephenson

Journal #Four [RES701] - Credibility

Journal #Four [RES701] - Credibility

Credibility

JOURNAL #FOUR [RES701]

Credibility - An Analysis

This journal entry aims to assess six different sources of evidence covering two topics as provided. The analysis is not concerned with the content of the publications but more with their credibility, and how we make a determination.

For each article I will conduct a credibility assessment which will detail my reasoning for the credibility score given. I will score each article using the same methodology deployed in the class discussion:

1 < — Not credible — 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 — Extremely Credible — > 10

Topic One - Computational Thinking

Article One
  1. URL: https://search-proquest-com.nmit.idm.oclc.org/docview/2241270349/DFAE2141B99145BBPQ/17?accountid=40261
  2. Search Term: “Computational Thinking”
  3. How I found it: ProQuest Basic Search
  4. Author: German, Susan. Science Scope: Washington Vol. 42, Iss. 9.
  5. Date: July 2019
  6. Publication Type: Scholarly Journal
  7. Credibility: 8

I chose to look first at the journal itself - the first point to note is it has not been cited, nor does it include any references. Despite this, further investigation into the author revealed they have authored a relatively high number of journals on a range of topics spanning more then a decade. Several articles do include detailed references with some having been cited many times.

Additionally, the author has collaborated with others to produce a significant portion of articles again, covering a range of topics and published in ‘The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’. Although the Sentinel appears regional, it does cover national news and appears credible, it is a part of the USA Today Network and therefore expected biases must be taken into consideration.

Due to the publication on ProQuest, links to Science Scope and Washington National Science Teachers Association, author affiliations and quantity of journal posting over a significant period of time, I have been inclined to rate highly. Points have been lost on the lack of referencing and citations in relation to the specific article.

Article Two
  1. URL: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/video/computational-thinking/https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/video/computational-thinking/
  2. Search Term: “Computational Thinking”
  3. How I found it: DuckDuckGo Search
  4. Author: Jeannette Wing. Carnegie Mellon University.
  5. Date: October 26, 2012
  6. Publication Type: Video posted on Microsoft under “Research”
  7. Credibility: 9

I was surprised at my rating for this video, I wasn’t expecting to give such a high score. Factors that have affected this decision are as follows:

  • Primarily the authors credentials, Avanessians Director of the Data Science Institute and Professor of Computer Science at Columbia University. The author gained this position after leaving Microsoft as Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Research in July 2017. Prior to these positions the author served in prestigious positions at Carnegie Mellon University and the National Science Foundation. Educational background includes bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from MIT.

  • All of the affiliated influences of the author are highly reputable, and on this occasion I am inclined to overlook the obvious biases that will be inherent to the Microsoft Corporation, as the author was the head of the Computer Science Department at Carnegie Mellon University at the time of issue. I am also inclined to ignore my biases towards the Microsoft Corporation, acknowledging that it is generally considered a reputable business in terms of advancing computer technology around the globe.

Article Three
  1. URL: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zp92mp3/revision/1https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zp92mp3/revision/1
  2. Search Term: “Computational Thinking”
  3. How I found it: DuckDuckGo Search
  4. Author: British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
  5. Date: No date provided
  6. Publication Type: News Media Article
  7. Credibility: 7

I have rated this article highly despite some concerns as followed:

  • No author, which make it difficult to determine how much trust we can place in the information
  • No references, meaning we don’t know where the information is coming from
  • A lack of date making it difficult to decide if the information is outdated
  • The BBC is ultimately and primary a news organisation corporation

Although these concerns are legitimate, the BBC is, in my opinion one of the most credible news organisation in the world primarily because:

a. It is funded by British taxpayers through an annual license fee b. No corporate ownership pushing a particular political agenda c. Is answerable to the taxpayer funding the service d. Is regulated (in the UK) by The Office of Communications (Ofcom)

Furthermore the article is located on ‘BBC Bitsize’, the primary purpose being to aid students with homework, revision and learning, and does not affiliate with any external sources, organisations or commercial enterprise.

Topic Two - Virtualisation Technology

Article Four
  1. URL: https://www.vmware.com/solutions/virtualization.html
  2. Search Term: “what is virtualization technology”
  3. How I found it: DuckDuckGo Search
  4. Author: vmware
  5. Date: No date provided
  6. Publication Type: Corporate Webpage
  7. Credibility: 6

I don’t believe this source is entirely credible. Ultimately they are a company that have to manage their investor relations, the easiest way to do this is though profit generation and maintaining their stock price.

For a company it makes sense to market the benefits of the virtualised technology products and services they are offering. These benefits may be accurate, but they may be overstated, it’s unlikely to suggest alternatives and certainly won’t provide an unbiased view of the products and services available on the market. This isn’t a criticism, it is a right of any business to promote itself in the best way possible - especially if they work hard on creating good quality products and services for their customers.

Ultimately however, for customers needing to make a strategic business case for their organisation, they would be better served looking elsewhere for more balanced case studies, reviews and comparisons, or performing a competitor analysis themselves.

Article Five
  1. URL: https://search-proquest-com.nmit.idm.oclc.org/docview/2262530930/C6FEE1B782DD42FFPQ/1?accountid=40261
  2. Search Term: “what is Virtualisation Technology”
  3. How I found it: ProQuest Basic Search - Peer reviewed
  4. Author: Zhang, L; Chan, C F; Ng, VT Y; Yu, K M. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology; Heidelberg Vol. 18, Iss. 3
  5. Date: Aug 2001
  6. Publication Type: Scholarly Journal
  7. Credibility: 5

I found this article to be credible from the identification of the authors, operating in Computer Science and Technology and Computing and Manufacturing Engineering at Tsinghua University, Beijing and Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong.

Despite the credentials the journal is nearly two decades out of date. I’m sure that a lot has changed in the virtual technology world during that time, it certainly has in the commercial enterprise arena.

The publishing house of the journal traces its origins back to 1842 in Berlin, Germany, which does improve the credibility of the article. Ultimately however, it cannot change the underlying fact that a lot will have changed with this technology in the last 19 plus years.

Article Six
  1. URL: https://www.techfunnel.com/information-technology/7-benefits-virtualization-technology-businesses/
  2. Search Term: “Virtualisation Technology”
  3. How I found it: DuckDuckGo Search
  4. Author: Anirudh Menon
  5. Date: January 6, 2020
  6. Publication Type: Blog Post
  7. Credibility: 2

My rating for this article is not low because it is a blog, which are often viewed with a more skeptical eye, but because of the author description. The experience quoted includes sales, customer services, marketing and now professional writing, and although I willing to concede that he may have been involved in sales and marketing for this kind of software, there is no evidence for this and no suggestion he is experienced with information technology or this software.

I have no reason to doubt the information stated, but if I was planning on referencing this blog I would seek additional, corroborating evidence in order to be confident in the contents. The article links to a short 42 second YouTube video which may be where the information was dervied. The video is provided by Bython Media which potentially is the owner or controller of the blog site “Tech Funnel”. This can only be determined by watching the video on YouTube and not in the body of the blog.

Bython offers B2B solutions in content, marketing, publishing and technology, with clients that include IBM, Microsoft, Wells Fargo and Hewlett Packard Enterprise amongst others. If this is the owner of the blog site it would help to improve the credibility. For an average reader though, are they going to investigate the origins of each blog they come across?