Website Evaluation Criteria

Anybody can create a website and post it without anyone else ever looking at it. There isn’t anything stopping anyone from making a professional looking website filled with inaccurate information. Even a Neanderthal could have posted the information on the website. Therefore, it is very important that you evaluate your websites!

You must look at each of the following websites, completing the stated tasks as you go. Record your responses in your journals. Although you may only have to answer a question about just one part of the website, it is important that you look at the whole webpage. After completing the Pathfinder you will be required to make your own Website Evaluation Tool. Therefore, you need to pay attention to the evaluation criteria recommended on these websites. Feel free to make notes as you go through the websites. You will use your website evaluation tool while researching the various forms of government. Your journal and website evaluation tool will be evaluated as part of your final grade for this unit.

Objectives:

Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Evaluate the reliability of information from online resources, including the accuracy, authority, objectivity, and currency.

• Know that they need to cite their sources.

• Cite online resources in the proper format.

• Evaluate the reliability of available information. (9th Grade Citizenship Proficiency Objectives 16a-c, 10)

• Exhibit legal and ethical behaviors when using information and technology, and discuss consequences of misuse. (Grades 6-8 Performance Indicators for Technology-Literate Students, Indicator 3, 6, 10)

• Research and evaluate the accuracy relevance, appropriateness, comprehensiveness, and bias of electronic information sources concerning real-world problems. (Grades 6-8 Performance Indicators for Technology-Literate Students, Indicator 3, 6, 10)

 

Let’s Begin!

Evaluation Criteria

 This website provides a list of questions to ask in order to evaluate the accuracy, authority, objectivity, currency, and coverage of a website. For each question, a link to a web page that illustrates the topic is included.

• In your journal, write the questions listed under the following categories: Accuracy, Authority, Objectivity, and Currency.  This will help you in designing your website evaluation tool.

 Five Criteria for Evaluating Web Pages

 This website provides a brief explanation of the five key criteria for evaluating web pages.  

• Read the “Putting it all Together” section at the bottom of the page.  In your journal, write a 1-2 sentences responding to it. Are you surprised that after all that the website still may not be of value?

Evaluating a Website

This website provides simple information about why it is important to consider purpose and bias in a website.

• Should you rely on only one webpage for all of your information on a subject? Explain your answer.

Evaluating Web Pages: Techniques to Apply & Questions to Ask

This website goes beyond the others as it not only provides questions to ask and the rationale behind them, it also clearly describes the steps you should take to find the answers to the questions. These techniques are very beneficial to know.

• Truncating can be a very useful tool. For practice, following the directions on the web page for truncation, truncate this website until you reach the opening page. Scroll to the bottom of this screen. When was this page last updated? Record your answer in your journal.

Tips for Evaluating Websites

This website describes techniques for using search engines, such as Google, to gain further information about the authority and reliability of a website.

• Go to Google and do a link search for CNN.com. How many other websites link to CNN.com? Record your answer, along with the steps you took to get it, in your journal.

 Evaluating Information from Internet Websites

This website discusses website evaluation. Please focus on the first part, which discusses URLs.  Looking at the URL of a website can be a quick indicator of the type of website and its reliability.

• Record the answers to the following questions in your journal. Generally, which URLs are the most reliable for research? For the remaining 3 URL types, write 1-2 sentences describing why they may not make reliable sources.

Science Web Site Evaluation Tool:

Although this website was designed as a guide for evaluating science websites, it is general enough that it would work for most websites. This is a simple, easy to read and follow web site evaluation tool.

• In your journal, write a response to this evaluation tool. What do you like, don’t like, what else would you include or not include?

 

Homework Assignment:

Now it is your turn! Using the notes and answers in your notebook, along with all of the website evaluation information you stored in your head, create your own Website Evaluation Tool. For an example of a website evaluation tool, look back at the “Science Web Site Evaluation Tool” webpage from the pathfinder. Think about what criteria you think are important and how you will tell if a website meets your criteria. Hint: A number of topics or criteria were listed in almost every website on the Pathfinder. This should tell you something. Also, think about the following questions as you are designing your website evaluation tool. What steps will you take to evaluate a website? What will you look for? Organize your website evaluation tool in a clear, easy to use format.

After creating your website evaluation tool, write a short journal entry describing why you included the criteria that you did, why you formatted it the way you did, and why you think it will be effective in weeding out the “bad” websites.

Make it good! Your website evaluation tool will stop you
from ever being fooled by a “Neanderthal” again!