Jill Borin & Molly Wolf
December 5, 2012

 Editorials that appear in magazines, journals, and newspapers:

1.
2.
3.
4.
Authority
Accuracy
Currency
Objectivity
Traditional Evaluation
Criteria
1.
2.
3.
4.
Language
Appearance
Usefulness
Influence
Criteria Specific to
Blogs

 Authority: o Does the blog include upfront bio, credentials and contact information?
o o
Are blog posts signed by an identifiable author?
Does the blogger have expertise or influence on the topic of the blog?
• Accuracy: o o
Does the blog include a blogroll of already-known-to-be-credible blogs?
Does the blog include hypertext links leading to reputable sources of information?

 Currency: o Is this blog alive, containing current and regular posts from the author? o Does the blog provide additional information about the timing of this blog in relation to its content?
• Objectivity: o Is the blog upfront about its bias? o o
Is the blog author tolerant of opposing points of view, recognizing other points of view?
Does the blog include any sponsored links or advertisements?

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How sophisticated is the language and the spelling?
Does the blog contain reasonable and rational language, a reserved tone, as well as explanations, definitions, clarifications?

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Does the blog have a professional appearance?
Does the blog use visual elements effectively?

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Is this blog useful for academic research?
Are there reputable outside sources that can assert the usefulness of this blog?

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Is it easy to obtain information about the community to which this blog belongs, and the number of blogs that link to this blog?
What is the influence of this blog on debate about the topic?
At what point in a story’s lifetime did a post appear?

Currency
Authority

Authority
Objectivity
Currency and Influence
Authority

Examples of Usefulness:
Scholarly articles that have cited this blog
Fakhouri, R. (2010). The most dangerous blot in our constitution: retiring the flawed Electoral
College contingent procedure. Northwestern University Law Review, 104 (2), 705-739.
Retrieved from http://0-search.proquest.com.libcat.widener.edu
 13 See Nate Silver, 12th Amendment Update: Tie Probability Continues to Increase, FIVETHIRTYEIGHT, Sept. 19, 2008, http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/09/12th-amendment-update-tie-probability.html
Gerstle, G. (2010). The GOP in the age of Obama. New Labor Forum, 19 (3), 23-31,114.
Retrieved from http://0-search.proquest.com.libcat.widener.edu
 12 Nate Silver, "What Tuesday Really Meant," FiveThirtyEight.com, May 19, 2010, available at www.fivethirtyeight.com/201
0/05/what-tuesday-really-meant.html
.
Sanders, S. (2012). The constitutional right to (keep your) same-sex marriage. Michigan Law
Review, 110 (8), 1421-1481. Retrieved from http://0-search.proquest.com.libcat.widener.edu
 114 See Nate Silver, Gay Marriage Opponents Now in Minority, NYTimes.com (Apr. 20, 2011, 11:18 AM), http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/04/20/gay-marriageopponents-now-in-minority/
Skocpol, T. & Jacobs, L. R. (2012). Accomplished and Embattled: Understanding Obama's
Presidency. Political Science Quarterly 127 (1), 1-24. Retrieved from http://0search.proquest.com.libcat.widener.edu
 36 Nate Silver, "Freshman Republicans Push House Toward Right," The New York Times, 12 July 2011, accessed at http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/12/freshmen-republicans-push-housetoward-right/

Influence
Accuracy

 fivethirtyeight.com - Awards & Recognition
 2012: Earned a Webby Award for "Best Political Blog" from the
International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences.
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2011: Named among "The Best Blogs of 2011" by Time Magazine.
2010: politico.com listed Nate Silver as one of seven bloggers among
"The Most Powerful People on Earth.”
 2009: Named among "Our Favorite Blogs of 2009" by PC Magazine.
 2009: Earned a "Bloggie" as the "Best Weblog about Politics" in the
Weblog Awards.
 2008: Described as "one of the breakout online stars of the year" in
The New York Times.
 2008: First blog ever selected as a Notable Narrative by the Niemen
Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University.

 This evaluation has demonstrated that the fivethirtyeight.com blog is Accurate, Current, Objective, and
Authoritative.
 In addition it has demonstrated that it is Useful and
Influential presenting information with sophisticated
Language and a professional Appearance.
 Therefore, the fivethirtyeight.com blog has proven itself to be a reliable and unbiased source of information on the 2012 presidential election.