REVIEW EXERCISE
This exercise is intended to help you review your Internet searching and evaluation skills and to assist you in identifying areas in which you might need additional practice. You may work with another member of the class in doing the searches and answering the questions but remember that you will get out of the exercise what you put into it. You do not need to hand in the exercise at the end of class, but if you don't finish it, try completing it before the beginning of next week's class.
1. Using www.google.com, find the following information and answer the questions. For assistance in searching see www.findspot.com.
1a. What is "mad cow disease"? Whom or what does it affect?
1b. The full text of the British government's report on mad cow disease. Does the website containing this report seem to be reliable? Why or why not?
1c. The website for the United States agency that inspects for the disease.
1d. Federal regulations issued by this agency.
1e. The Canadian agency responsible for inspection for the disease. What alerts did this agency issue during the month of July 2002?
Try your search with another engine. Do you get similar results? Why or why not? (Check out findspot to see if you can tell how these engines run searches and display results). Yahoo (www.yahoo.com) Excite (www.excite.com) Dogpile (www.dogpile.com) Ask Jeeves (www.askjeeves.com) Direct Hit (www.teoma.com) Lycos (www.lycos.com)
2. Using your favorite search engine, find the following information and answer the questions.
2a. Find images of the "anthrax letters" mailed to Senator Daschle, Tom Brokaw and others.
2b. Find discussion of the personalities revealed in the handwriting. Do you think this kind of analysis can reliably report personality traits or disorders? Why or why not?
2c. Find a discussion of the evidentiary value of such analysis. Is it generally admissible in court? What website(s) are you relying upon for your answer? Do you think this website (these websites) are reliable?
2d. Find an 11th Circuit case in which the court affirmed admissibility of handwriting analysis. Under what circumstances does the court think such evidence is admissible? What site has this information? Is it as reliable as the printed version of the case in the appropriate reporter?
2e. Find a site that provides you with the text of 11th Circuit decisions. Is it searchable? Trying finding the case you found in 2(d) through this site as well.
2f. If you have not already found the following website http://www.forensic-evidence.com/ go to it now. Examine this site for content. Who is the author of the site? What are his qualifications? Where does he work? Find a biography of this person.
2g. Go to the site www.handwriting.org.
Examine the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page.
Go to the Analysis page. Select the analysis of Jeffrey MacDonald's handwriting. Examine the analysis. Does anything seem odd to you about the analysis? What questions might you ask about the method of analysis before coming to some conclusion about its accuracy? How would you verify its accuracy? When might you rely on such an analysis? Who is Jeffrey MacDonald and what is he famous for?