1. The ABC’s of Web Page Evaluation

2. or or How to Evaluate Internet Resources How to Evaluate Internet Resources Trash Treasure? Treasure?

3. It’s a fact… When students want to find information about a topic, they like to go to the Internet first.

4. But how do students know that the information they find is accurate? How many times have you heard someone make one of these statements: “Why should I bother to check out the source?” “Why should I bother to check out the source?” “But the Web page looks so official!” “But the Web page looks so official!” “It’s okay to copy anything from the Internet.” “It’s okay to copy anything from the Internet.” “I read it on the Internet, so it must be true.” “I read it on the Internet, so it must be true.”

5. When researching, is it okay to use a site that you find on the Internet?

6. The answer is yes, but… …you need to evaluate and examine the value of what you are using as your “expert” source.

7. You need to be like a detective and ask yourself, “Is this a reliable site?”

8. Why do we need to evaluate Web sites? There is an endless number of resources floating around the World Wide Web. There is an endless number of resources floating around the World Wide Web. The quality of Web resources varies greatly. ANYONE can publish on the Web, and no approval is necessary! The quality of Web resources varies greatly. ANYONE can publish on the Web, and no approval is necessary! The information could be inaccurate, incomplete, and out-of-date. The information could be inaccurate, incomplete, and out-of-date.

9. EVALUATION IS IMPERATIVE!! Students must learn to be effective CONSUMERS of information. Students must learn to be effective CONSUMERS of information. You must learn to REACT to Internet information, not just RETRIEVE. You must learn to REACT to Internet information, not just RETRIEVE.

10. HELP!!! How do I know if a Web site is reliable? What criteria do I use? A simple technique has been developed to help you determine whether or not you can count on a Web site to give you accurate, up-to-date, and un-biased information. A simple technique has been developed to help you determine whether or not you can count on a Web site to give you accurate, up-to-date, and un-biased information.

11. All you need to know is your ABC’S. Here goes… Here goes…

12. A – Author and Accuracy Is the author of the Web site named? Is the author of the Web site named? Is the author qualified to write about the subject? Can you find information on him/her? Is the author qualified to write about the subject? Can you find information on him/her? Does the information make sense with what we already know? Is it factual/true ? Does the information make sense with what we already know? Is it factual/true ? Can the information be verified/checked in other places? Can the information be verified/checked in other places? Is the info free of grammatical, spelling, and other typographical errors? Is the info free of grammatical, spelling, and other typographical errors?

13. B – Bias Does the Web page present the information in a fair, balanced, and objective manner? Does the Web page present the information in a fair, balanced, and objective manner? Does the information represent a single opinion or a range of opinions? Does the information represent a single opinion or a range of opinions? Is the site free of unnecessary advertising? Is the site free of unnecessary advertising?

14. Is the site trying to persuade you to do or think something by showing only one side of an issue?

15. C – Common Sense and Coverage Is the information believable, useful, and valuable to know? Is the information believable, useful, and valuable to know? Are the topics covered in depth with info that can be verified with links? Are the topics covered in depth with info that can be verified with links? Is the content of the page written at a level that you can understand? Is the content of the page written at a level that you can understand?

16. Step Back and Think… Does it all add up? Does it all add up? Listen to your gut reaction! Listen to your gut reaction! Why was the page put on the Web? Why was the page put on the Web? To inform, give facts? To inform, give facts? To explain, persuade? To explain, persuade? To sell, entice? To sell, entice? To share, help? To share, help? To entertain, deceive? To entertain, deceive?

17. D – Dates Does the Web page show the date when the page was created? Does the Web page show the date when the page was created? Is the Web page updated regularly? Is the Web page updated regularly? Are the statistics current? Are the statistics current? Are the links up-to-date? Are the links up-to-date?

18. E – Editor Does the Web page name an editor, fact checker, or Webmaster? Does the Web page name an editor, fact checker, or Webmaster? Does the Web page contain a bibliography? Does the Web page contain a bibliography? Is there a way to contact the editor or author if you have questions about the site? Is there a way to contact the editor or author if you have questions about the site? Does the Web page have a reputable sponsor, such as a university or a government? Does the Web page have a reputable sponsor, such as a university or a government? Does the domain name give you any clues? Does the domain name give you any clues?

19. DOMAIN NAMES: Anyone can create a Web site… DOMAIN NAMES: Anyone can create a Web site….com=commercial site.com=commercial site www.espn.com www.espn.com.org=organization, often nonprofit.org=organization, often nonprofit www.redcross.org www.redcross.org.mil=military group.mil=military group www.usmc.mil www.usmc.mil.net=network provider.net=network provider - www.verizon.net - www.verizon.net.info=information services.info=information services - www.bcpl.info - www.bcpl.info

20. DOMAIN NAMES: Some Web sites are restricted and, therefore, more reliable. DOMAIN NAMES: Some Web sites are restricted and, therefore, more reliable. Not everyone can use an.edu=educational site.edu=educational site www.ume.edu www.ume.eduor.gov=government agency.gov=government agency www.whitehouse.gov www.whitehouse.gov

23. Remember this? Check out some fake websites What can you tell from these Web addresses? http://city-mankato.us/ http://descy.50megs.com/descy/webcred/webcred/dhmo.html http://descy.50megs.com/akcj3/bmd.html http://www.nervousnellies.com http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/ http://www.buydehydratedwater.com/

24. FYI: Beware the Tilde ~ www.jhu.edu/~jsmith/sports.html www.jhu.edu/~jsmith/sports.html ~jsmith = a personal site; someone’s opinion ~jsmith = a personal site; someone’s opinion Other personal-page hints: Other personal-page hints: % AOL, Geocities, Tripod, and Angelfire (hosted by free servers) AOL, Geocities, Tripod, and Angelfire (hosted by free servers) Homepages often end in.html Homepages often end in.html

25. … And a Word about … And a Word about What is Wikipedia? Can I use it to research? Wikipedia is a general encyclopedia. Wikipedia is a general encyclopedia. It is a collaborative authoring website, which means that ANYONE can create or edit information on the site. It is a collaborative authoring website, which means that ANYONE can create or edit information on the site. Wikipedia may be a good place to start your research to get some beginning info. Wikipedia may be a good place to start your research to get some beginning info. Once you have some key ideas and terms about your topic, then you can go to a more reliable source and dig deeper. Once you have some key ideas and terms about your topic, then you can go to a more reliable source and dig deeper.

26. Why shouldn’t I just google my topic?  Less than 10% of Google is K-12 curriculum-related; mostly focused on consumer information.  High % of info is not updated regularly and may be created by questionable sources.  Most newspaper & magazine/journal archives are inaccessible due to copyright.  100% of what is located in the library database is curriculum-relevant for students & teachers.  Articles & websites are reviewed and updated regularly.  Access is provided to 1000’s of selected newspapers, magazines, maps, graphics, literature reference sources.

27. So, ask yourself… Is using the Internet always as good a resource as I could find in the stacks of the library or in an online database? Is using the Internet always as good a resource as I could find in the stacks of the library or in an online database?

28. The answer is… …sometimes yes, sometimes no. It’s just important to know the difference. But that’s a lesson for another day… haha

29. For now, when checking Web sites for reliability – determining or – remember… or – remember…

30. A is for…

31. Author and Accuracy

32. B is for…

33. Bias

34. C is for…

35. Common Sense and Coverage

36. D is for…

37. Dates

38. E is for…

39. Editor

40. The End?...

41. …or is it just the beginning of more accurate and efficient research ;) “Why should I bother to check out the source?” “Why should I bother to check out the source?” “But the Web page looks so official!” “But the Web page looks so official!” “It’s okay to copy anything from the Internet.” “It’s okay to copy anything from the Internet.” “I read it on the Internet so it must be true.” “I read it on the Internet so it must be true.”

42. The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus? Really?