Activity

The Internet and the World Wide Web offer tremendous resources but contain some of the worst material available as well. Learn how to weed the trash out.

Assignment

1. Complete one of these three evaluation tutorials.
   1. This module on information competence includes self-tests to help you learn about evaluating web resources.
   2. Ohio State University Libraries offers a tutorial on the evaluation of web sites with links to example sites.
   3. The Cybertour on Evaluating Resources

2. Class Discussion Board
   You will be working in Section Six of the Class Discussion Board.
   1. Post a new thread to discuss one or more of your experiences with this section. Do you see any tools and resources here that you can use in your teaching or work? Be sure to post to section six of the board.
   2. Respond to a Section 6 post from another student.

3. Link Share
   Select two different resources to post and discuss on the Link Share board. Choose any resource on this page, any site linked to any of these linked resources, or any relevant web site that you are already aware of. Be sure the links go in Section 6 and be sure the link works correctly. After you enter the link return to the link share board and click on the link to be sure it will correctly open the page you are citing.

   Tip: You must always begin the URL with http:// and it is usually most successful to actually visit that page and use your mouse the copy the URL directly from the browser location strip; then use your mouse to paste the URL into the link share board.

Resources

The primary criteria for evaluating information critically.

Authority

What individual or organization is responsible for the contents of the page? Is the an "about" link or other source of information on the background or goals of the author? Is it possible to verify the legitimacy of this person and organization? An email address is not enough. Is there an address, telephone number? Who holds the copyright?

Accuracy

Are sources of factual information listed?

Objectivity

Are the biases of the individual or organization clear? Is advertising on the page clearly differentiated fro the content?

Currency

Are there dates on the page to indicate when the page was last updated, when the page was first posted to the web? Is there any other indication of currency?

Coverage

Does the page appear complete in its treatment of the topic? Can you perceive any omissions in the coverage? Is the point of view clearly stated with well-supported arguments?

There are myriad resources on the Internet for learning to evaluate web sites. You can conduct searches to find more by using search terms such as "k12 searches" or "K12 search engines".

• A brief overview of evaluation criteria is available from the Cornell library.

• UC Berkeley offers a terrific guide to Critical Evaluation of Resources.

• Critical Evaluation Surveys from Kathy Schrock at the Discovery Channel.

• Selection Criteria from the Association for Library Service to Children.

• From the Meridian: A Middle School Technologies Journal is an article on Evaluating Internet-based Information: A Goals-based Approach

• An Educators' Guide to Credibility and Web Evaluation

Finished with the class? Please complete my End of Class Survey. It will help me to be a better teacher. I appreciate your time on this.

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