Wikipedia Step 2

Claim:

"The sun's output has not increased since 1978."

Dispute:

"Since the late 1970s, the amount of solar radiation the sun emits, during times of quiet sunspot activity, has increased by nearly .05 percent per decade, according to a NASA funded study."

Web Page Evaluation:

Name of the page:  National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

URL:  http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2003/0313irradiance.html

Date Accessed:  June 2, 2013

How did you find the source?  Google search

Domain:  .gov  I consider this a very reliable domain; I would trust this source

Author of page:  Elvia H. Thompson and Krishna Ramanujan

Is the author affiliated with an organization?  Yes, they are both affiliated with NASA.  Thompson works at NASA Headquarters and Ramanujan works at the Goddard Space Flight Center.  They are NASA professionals, and I would consider them experts in their field.  They don't show a bias; they just present the facts.  I would consider them reliable authors.

Contact information?  Yes, there are phone numbers for both of the authors.

Is the purpose of the page clearly stated?  Yes, the article is meant to inform the reader.  The authors are presenting facts; they are not trying to persuade one way or the other.

Are their any ads on the page?  No, there are no ads.  Everything on the page is NASA related.

Who is the intended audience?  The public is the intended audience.  It is meant to inform them.

When was the page last updated?  March 20, 2003

Is the article authenticated?  Yes, NASA is a reputable organization. 

Is this source appropriate?  Would you recommend it?  Yes, this is an appropriate resource.  NASA is a trusted organization who wouldn't post information without verifying its authenticity.  The authors of the page are professionals in their field.  I would definitely recommend this source.

Source

NASA. NASA Study Finds Increasing Solar Trend That Can Change Climate. (March 2003). Retrieved from http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2003/0313irradiance.html

Support:

"The Sun's energy output has not increased since direct measurements began in 1978.  If increased solar output really was responsible, we should be seeing warming on all the planets and their moons, not just Mars and Pluto."

Web Page Evaluation:

Name of the page:  New Scientist

URL:  http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn11642-climate-myths-mars-and-pluto-are-warming-too.html

Date accessed:  June 2, 2013

How did you find the source:  Google search

Domain:  .com  I'm skeptical of a .com domain, because anyone can create a web page with a .com domain

Author of the page:  Michael Le Page

Is the individual affiliated with an organization?  Does the author have any credentials?  No, the author is not associated with any organization that I can find.  In fact, the web page gives no information about the author besides his name.  He appears to be a blog writer.

Contact information:  No, there is no contact information for the author.

Is the purpose of the page clearly stated?  Not really, but I would guess he is trying to persuade the audience to believe his opinion.  I believe it is an opinion because he doesn't have any sources to back it up, and he doesn't present the other side.

Are there ads on the page?  The only ads are for subscribing to their magazine.

When was the page last updated?  May 16, 2007

Is the page authenticated?  No, the author gives no sources and no one else backs up his claims.

Is the source appropriate?  Would you recommend it?  No, I do not believe the source is appropriate.  It is just one man's opinion, with no sources to back up his claims.  This web page is unreliable and I would not recommend it.

Source

Le Page, Michael. Climate Myths: Mars and Pluto are Warming Too. (May 2007). Retrieved from http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn11642-climate-myths-mars-and-pluto-are-warming-too.html