The Kennedy Assassination Homepage sounds as though it is just another enthusiast site. No catchy domain name like The Truth Is Redactedor The Nook of Eclectic Inquiry instead McAdams’ page merges into the mass of similarly titled sites. This site actively presents a professional front in the delivery, content and maintenance of resources.

A brief reference as to the character of the owner and designer of The Kennedy Assassination Home Page can be found in the introduction.

Authorial presence is represented in the form of introducing each page and giving the evidence in question a prejudiced context. I do not believe that these slights detract from the possibilities McAdams’ resources offer. McAdams does not manipulate the original documents he displays merely offers his interpretation in the design and commentary he attaches. For each of the fifteen subsections (mentioned in type of site) documented and annotated on the front page, there is an introduction and then further annotation of the many links that sprawl from that topic. These links take the form of internal hosting of documents that are “closed” (preventing the continuation of spiralling searches), internal hosting of evidence that is “open” (creating an extensive self referencing text) and external resources linked out offering further exploratory options.

Authorship of The Kennedy Assassination Homepage lies singularly with John McAdams. However, the forum he co-moderates with Peter Fokes and Michael Russ represent the collective interest of alt.assassination.jfk, which is affiliated with McAdams site.

The source of this sites authority is in its sound contribution to research on the World Wide Web. McAdams presents a multifaceted site that encourages the user to immerse themselves in the web of resources. McAdams’ personal inference from sources, though authorial is not dominating and therefore the sources cannot be viewed as privileging the lone gunman theory.

Authority is present at every level of McAdams site yet it could not be considered oppressive. Authority can be seen as self consciously implemented as an instrumental element of The Kennedy Assassination Homepage that reminds the reader of the purpose of the site and the function it serves.

The Kennedy Assassination Homepage provides a venue for discipline based authorities to be represented. It is a testament to McAdams academic respectability that a number of prominent assassination scholars have permitted the reproduction of their work on his site. McAdams ascertains the critical merit of the sites he links and annotates each one.

[ Introduction I Type of Site I Coverage I Authority I Organisation I Design I Orientation I Mobility I Primary I Knowledge Construct I Rhetorical I Writable I Overview ]