Internet Resource Comparison The Internet contains a limitless amount of information. However, the information must be accessible, organized, and comprehensible to be of value. A series of questions were used to compare and exam these merits in four related web sites, the Institute of Management Accountants , Beta Alpha Psi , the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants , and the National Business Education Association . Question 1: Are student benefits of membership easily identified?The Institute of Management Accountants (IMA), American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), and the National Business Education Association (NBEA) provided pathways to well defined benefits and services. Offerings were fundamentally shared by all three organizations and included scholarships, access to job banks and information resources, special insurance, credit, publication offers and support for political concerns. An IMA article best summed up other benefits. Student member, Anissa Eggen, suggested less tangible advantages of membership. "In search of guidance, I found much more." Beta Alpha Psi was the exception. The mission statement presented some idea of membership benefits, "providing interaction among students, faculty, and professionals, and fosters lifelong growth, service and ethical conduct." Job opportunities and scholarships were also linked within the site, but a clearly defined list of benefits was either absent or beyond simple access. Question 2: Is the information current?All sites were maintained remarkably well and provided current information. Examples included IMA's Special Events Board, which ranged from scholarship deadlines in February to the annual conference in June, NBEA provided access to current Business Education Standards, BAP listed recent summary reports from their National Office, and the AICPA site contained reports updated every weekday. Question 3: Is the information helpful?Helpfu...
