Resources selected

How are resources selected?

I have tried to include a wide range of resources but particularly ones that explain the issues well.

The most important resources are those that deal with creationist claims but I have included some general resources where they give a good introduction to or overview of a topic.

Organization and categorization of resources

I have tried to organize the resources into categories and subcategories according to where I feel they will be found most easily. Often this means putting a resource onto more than one page. Where topics share a lot of common ground but there is still good reason for separate pages, there may be a fair bit of repetition. I have tried to balance ease of finding resources with avoidance of duplication; this has not always been easy.

On each page, the resources are ordered depending on a number of factors, for example starting with the more general resources first - covering a large number of points or dealing with a topic from a number of angles - and moving onto resources that deal more specifically with particular individual claims, often taking a more in-depth look than the more general resources do.

A couple of notes on the resources themselves

Presentation

Some resources appear poorly presented but the content is of good quality (for example pages in the TalkOrigins Archive). Remember that the creationist organizations have a lot of money for their well-presented and well-maintained websites but the various people striving to counter creationist claims are often working on their own or posting to their own personal sites. Many sites are also very old and therefore look old fashioned; far from being out of date, in a lot of cases the information is still relevant, as creationists do not always change their claims once they have been shown to be wrong, or do not respond adequately. Bear in mind that the presentation of the resources does not affect the accuracy of the content.

Tone

Although the tone in which information is given does not affect its accuracy, I have tried to exclude resources that are mocking in tone or contain profanity, as these are likely to be particularly off-putting to users of this site. Sometimes such resources are included if they are particularly or uniquely helpful in some way, and in such cases I try to include a note about the tone directly underneath the link to the resource.

I have tried to keep in mind the kinds of resources I would want to use if I were a questioning creationist myself.

Bear in mind...

Always remember to check and cross-reference all claims on both sides. If there's something you don't understand or you think 'but how do they know that?', look it up, keep researching. And always be honest to yourself.