Evaluating Internet-based Resources

Criteria for determining appropriateness of internet-based resources Authority Authority What can the URL tell you? What can the URL tell you? Identified author Identified author Author states credentials Author states credentials Dates Dates Site contains creation, update, and data collection times Site contains creation, update, and data collection times

Criteria Cont’d. Bias Bias Site provides multiple viewpoints with no bias Site provides multiple viewpoints with no bias Accuracy Accuracy Data quality is unquestioned Data quality is unquestioned Site meets its objectives Site meets its objectives Another site on the same topic would have similar facts Another site on the same topic would have similar facts

Design Design Organized logically (easy to navigate) Organized logically (easy to navigate) Free of errors when loading Free of errors when loading Citations Citations All sources properly cited, incl Copyright dates All sources properly cited, incl Copyright dates Full bibliography with active links Full bibliography with active links Quality sources Quality sources Criteria Cont’d.

Links Links Working internal and external links Working internal and external links Well-chosen, well-organized Well-chosen, well-organized What other sites link to the page? ( What other sites link to the page? ( Criteria Cont’d.

Practice Website hydrocycle/hydro1.html hydrocycle/hydro1.html

How do we teach our kids to evaluate internet resources??? Provide students with a simplified questionnaire to guide them through the evaluation process. Provide students with a simplified questionnaire to guide them through the evaluation process. Examine the parts of a URL. Examine the parts of a URL. Compare two websites on the same topic Compare two websites on the same topic Compare information to non-Internet source (encyclopedia, textbook, etc.) Compare information to non-Internet source (encyclopedia, textbook, etc.) Provide list of appropriate search engines and teach appropriate use. Provide list of appropriate search engines and teach appropriate use.

Recommended Children’s Search Engines Yahooligans: Yahooligans: Ask Jeeves for Kids: Ask Jeeves for Kids: AOL at School: search/browse.adp AOL at School: search/browse.adp search/browse.adp search/browse.adp SEARCH ENGINE RESOURCES:

Recommended Teacher Resources Blue Web’n: Blue Web’n: Educator’s Reference Desk: Educator’s Reference Desk: Innovative Teaching: Innovative Teaching: Smithsonian Education: Smithsonian Education: Sites for Teachers: Sites for Teachers: