A Website Evaluation Tool Welcome to TAPAteach A Website Evaluation Tool Created by Eve Benson, Patrick Briggs, Debbie Clingingsmith and Glee Mellor

Tapa cloth comes from the bark of mulberry trees and is part of the tropical and subtropical cultures. The process involves bounding strips of bark together and decorating with a geometric design. Each piece is original and authentic. But, what does this have to do with web site evaluation? Ask yourself next time you are researching on the web, is this web site original and authentic? Can I trust the information? How do I know? Follow the TAPAteach process to discover a simple and quick method for web site evaluation. TAPAteach A program for web site evaluation TAPAteach shows students how to evaluate web sites in four easy steps.

TAPAteach evolved out of a need for students to learn how to critically analyze web sites for research based projects. The TAPAteach process is a simple four step method that allows students to detect a fraudulent web site. TAPAteach instructs students to look inside the website as well as outside when evaluating its validity. TAPAteach

Theme - What is the web site theme? Is it informational, advocacy, merchandising, entertainment, personal, or news and journalism? Argument - What is the primary message of the website? Proof - How does the web site prove or support its primary message? Analysis - Use the Analysis Worksheet to analyze the information you have discovered in Theme, Argument, and Proof. Compare the web site information with information you have from other sources.

Step 2- (Identify Argument) What is the author of the web site trying to convince you to accept?Examples: Informational: This is a picture of the Declaration of Independence from the National Archives web site Advocacy: the Sierra Club advocates environmental protection organization Merchandising: both sell products Personal home page: contain personal pictures, ie. Pets News and Journalism: Sacramento newspaper; weather forecasthttp:// Step 1- (Determine Theme) What is the theme of the web site? informational, Advocacy, Merchandising, Entertainment, Personal, home page, News and journalism, Other

Step 3- (Identify the Information that Proves the Argument) What information does the author provide that proves the argument? Examples: Informational: For the Declaration of Independence from the National Archives web site, the proof is the image of the Declaration itself. Advocacy: the Sierra Club advocates environmental protection organization; the proof is identified in their issue statement. Merchandising: the proof is the item description and the price Personal home page: proof is the picture itself News and Journalism: Sacramento newspaper; the weather info

Is there consistency with the information between the website, other websites and resources? When was the web site created, last updated? How current is the information? Where do the links from the web site link? What web sites link to this web site? Final Step: Decide whether or not to use the web site based on your analysis. Step 4- (Put it all together by comparing the web site’s information with other resources web sites.)

web site, by Alan November, is comprehensive and complete, covering the Internet experience. Provides many goods tips along the way. This site reviews web site appearance. This is Kathy Schrock’s site regarding critical evaluation skills and the Internet Points to Consider