Week 4 prompt

How do you judge the value of expertise on the Web? Does it differ from your notion of expertise in face-to-face settings? Why or why not?

Actually, there is no big difference for me to judge the expertise between on the Web and in face-to-face settings. I respect people’s thoughts and comments on the Web and what they say in face-to-face settings, and try to keep my mind open to things that I don’t know or understand.

If there is a new term that I don’t know, I would check several resources that I obtain from Google search. I may go to the more reliable websites to cross-check information. If that is an ordinary, general question, then I may take less time to check and find out the information. Basically, that kind of information just for my personal reference and won’t affect my professional performance; hence, I may not check the authors’ background information.

If I’m looking for something that is related to more professional field, in addition to cross-checking different sources of information, I will need to check authors’ educational background, the amount of experience the authors have in the related area. For example, if I need to cite or quote the information, I would try to seek for the academic articles that have been peer-reviewed and published.

Basically, I have my own standard of judgment and value system, and I think I value the expertise based on my own beliefs and value system , and I keep my judgment consistent no matter on the Web or in face-to-face settings.