Engaging with multiple sources is vital in obtaining accurate political information on the Internet. The sheer number of websites and blogs related to the 2008 presidential election residing in the World Wide Web can be overwhelming and thus, using criteria from the Webby Awards and the Illinois Math and Science Academy’s, I am recommending ten reliable websites which can be found in my linkroll. CNN’s Election Center 2008: Road To The White House serves as a guiding website with a variety of supplemental information organized in easily navigable sections. Particularly intriguing is the delegate explanation page, which carefully explicates the confusing system with an accompanying map. Another website with a strong election page is the New York Times’ Election Guide 2008. Besides several convenient features in common with the CNN website, the candidate schedules calendar is a unique page that lists when and where candidates are making appearances. One section unfortunately lacking is the issues page, containing facts too simplified and brief for such complex subject matter. While these sites are useful in providing foundational knowledge on the issues, detailed information should be sought elsewhere. Polling data, for example, involves elaborate numbers and time-sensitive data. Polling firms frequently release data on candidate leads regionally and nationally. Two widely cited and trusted polling firms are Gallup and Rasmussen; both are conducting polls on the 2008 presidential election. The Gallup Daily: Tracking Election 2008 website is updated regularly, and provides the data in the form of graphs, charts, and text to explain findings. The Rasmussen Reports: Daily Presidential Tracking Poll produces a more text-based output of results than Gallup, lacking in visual representation but providing additional analysis. Fact check websites are another invaluable tool for examining qualitative data in elections. These sites scrutinize claims made by candidates in television ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases. A worthwhile resource is the Annenberg Public Policy Center Political Fact Check, managed by a non-partisan and non-profit group. The website is very technologically up-to-date and offers features such as video webcasts of findings, e-mail alerts, and user feedback options. On the Washington Post blog The Fact-Checker, users can find similar information in a different format. While the blog cannot claim to be as unbiased as the Annenberg assessments, it is more oft updated, covers a wider variety of events, and the narrative format is easier to read. Accountability websites also exist for campaign spending. To be sure, this information is public and readily available on other websites, but the Center For Responsive Politics’ Open Secrets 2008 page compiles all the data in a central place. Facts and figures may be viewed by candidate and by donor demographic and are complete with visual illustrations. C-SPAN’s Campaign Network provides a wealth of raw, complete clips of candidates delivering speeches across the country. Everyone may not have enough time to dedicate to fifteen-minute clips; nevertheless, the videos are a refreshing break from the sound bites and biased articles that dominate much of popular media. Indulging in these popular clips is another aspect of politics and the Internet. Digg, the website which allows users to vote on websites and links they enjoy, has a simple page for the 2008 presidential election. Most interesting is the “Recently Popular in US Elections” section, a page that links to the websites that thousands of other Internet users are viewing. Lastly, to show the versatility of political resources available on the Internet, is NPR’s Election 2008 website. The website has a player for news radio, and perhaps the most convenient feature is that users can select stories and create a personalized play list. I hope to have provided you with several tools for finding and assessing information for the 2008 presidential election. I am planning to follow up with more recommendations in the future to trusted websites and blogs to help bring more clarity and objectivity to this sometimes confusing election season.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Decisions 2008: Finding Reliable, User-Friendly Resources On The Net
Engaging with multiple sources is vital in obtaining accurate political information on the Internet. The sheer number of websites and blogs related to the 2008 presidential election residing in the World Wide Web can be overwhelming and thus, using criteria from the Webby Awards and the Illinois Math and Science Academy’s, I am recommending ten reliable websites which can be found in my linkroll. CNN’s Election Center 2008: Road To The White House serves as a guiding website with a variety of supplemental information organized in easily navigable sections. Particularly intriguing is the delegate explanation page, which carefully explicates the confusing system with an accompanying map. Another website with a strong election page is the New York Times’ Election Guide 2008. Besides several convenient features in common with the CNN website, the candidate schedules calendar is a unique page that lists when and where candidates are making appearances. One section unfortunately lacking is the issues page, containing facts too simplified and brief for such complex subject matter. While these sites are useful in providing foundational knowledge on the issues, detailed information should be sought elsewhere. Polling data, for example, involves elaborate numbers and time-sensitive data. Polling firms frequently release data on candidate leads regionally and nationally. Two widely cited and trusted polling firms are Gallup and Rasmussen; both are conducting polls on the 2008 presidential election. The Gallup Daily: Tracking Election 2008 website is updated regularly, and provides the data in the form of graphs, charts, and text to explain findings. The Rasmussen Reports: Daily Presidential Tracking Poll produces a more text-based output of results than Gallup, lacking in visual representation but providing additional analysis. Fact check websites are another invaluable tool for examining qualitative data in elections. These sites scrutinize claims made by candidates in television ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases. A worthwhile resource is the Annenberg Public Policy Center Political Fact Check, managed by a non-partisan and non-profit group. The website is very technologically up-to-date and offers features such as video webcasts of findings, e-mail alerts, and user feedback options. On the Washington Post blog The Fact-Checker, users can find similar information in a different format. While the blog cannot claim to be as unbiased as the Annenberg assessments, it is more oft updated, covers a wider variety of events, and the narrative format is easier to read. Accountability websites also exist for campaign spending. To be sure, this information is public and readily available on other websites, but the Center For Responsive Politics’ Open Secrets 2008 page compiles all the data in a central place. Facts and figures may be viewed by candidate and by donor demographic and are complete with visual illustrations. C-SPAN’s Campaign Network provides a wealth of raw, complete clips of candidates delivering speeches across the country. Everyone may not have enough time to dedicate to fifteen-minute clips; nevertheless, the videos are a refreshing break from the sound bites and biased articles that dominate much of popular media. Indulging in these popular clips is another aspect of politics and the Internet. Digg, the website which allows users to vote on websites and links they enjoy, has a simple page for the 2008 presidential election. Most interesting is the “Recently Popular in US Elections” section, a page that links to the websites that thousands of other Internet users are viewing. Lastly, to show the versatility of political resources available on the Internet, is NPR’s Election 2008 website. The website has a player for news radio, and perhaps the most convenient feature is that users can select stories and create a personalized play list. I hope to have provided you with several tools for finding and assessing information for the 2008 presidential election. I am planning to follow up with more recommendations in the future to trusted websites and blogs to help bring more clarity and objectivity to this sometimes confusing election season.
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