1. Research and the Internet
Evaluating the credibility of internet resources.
Rationale: Welcome to “Research and the Internet.” This presentation is designed to introduce your students to methods for effectively searching the World Wide Web and evaluating the content of web pages.
This presentation may be supplemented with OWL handouts, including “Searching the World Wide Web” ( “Conducting a Productive Web Search” ( and “Evaluating Sources of Information” (
Writer and Designer: Jennifer Liethen Kunka
Contributors: Muriel Harris, Karen Bishop, Bryan Kopp, Matthew Mooney, David Neyhart, and Andrew Kunka
Developed with resources courtesy of the Purdue University Writing Lab
Grant funding courtesy of the Multimedia Instructional Development Center at Purdue University
© Copyright Purdue University, 2000.
PowerPoint adapted from a presentation by Jennie Flynt of Indian River County School District, Florida

2. Research and the Internet
The Internet can be a great research tool, but finding quality websites can be challenging.
OWL web site:
owl.english.
purdue.edu
Rationale: With the development of the Internet, students have found that conducting research is much easier and more convenient than searching through library stacks. While the Internet can be a great tool for research, locating quality materials can at times be a challenge. The following slides will offer tips on how to make the most of your Internet search.
Activity: To generate discussion, the facilitator may ask students about their level of familiarity with the Internet. Also, the facilitator may ask students about the types of web sites they visit, as well as if they have their own personal web pages.

3. Why do we need to evaluate Internet sources?
Almost anyone can publish almost anything on the Internet.
Unlike most print sources, web sources do not have to be professionally reviewed to be published.
Activity: The facilitator might ask students why it is important to evaluate web sources. The answers offered on this slide highlight the importance of web source evaluation. .
Key Concepts: Books and journal articles generally go through a long process of fact-checking, editing, and revising before being published. However, anyone with a computer and Internet access can post a web site. Just because the information is published online, it does not mean it is true or reliable. The facilitator may note that web sites change frequently and sometimes disappear quickly.
Purdue University Writing Lab

4. Types of Web Pages Informative pages Personal web pages
Political/interest group pages
Advertisements or “infomercial” pages
Entertainment pages
Key Concepts: There are several different types of web pages on the Internet. Students researching the web tend to think that the majority of web pages are devoted to providing information. Generally, informative sites--pages that offer information for the public good without any type of overt political or sales agenda--are few and far between.
Personal web pages tend to be devoted to an individual’s interests, hobbies, family, friends, or ideological beliefs. While researching, students may find personal web pages being used as a sounding board for a political agenda. Though some sites contain well-researched and reliable information, others do not.
Political or interest group pages generally promote some type of cause or way of thinking. These sites will educate web surfers about their topics, but they may contain slanted or biased information. Their goal is to offer information in the hopes of changing a belief, gaining a vote, or earning a political contribution.
Students have the hardest time distinguishing between pages that provide information and pages that try to sell a product. For example, a web site that informs about the benefits of aromatherapy may also sell aromatherapy products. While some “infomercial” sites clearly are promoting a product, the business agenda of other sites can be more difficult to assess.
Finally, the Internet contains many entertainment-oriented web sites. These sites can range from movie news and games to cartoons and comic book sites. Still other pages are “joke” pages--pages that look like they contain serious information, but really contain elaborately fabricated content. If readers are not careful researchers, they may mistake these “joke” pages for reliable information.
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5. Evaluating Internet Sources
Find out who wrote or sponsors the website.
Identify what the purpose of the website is.
Look at when the website was published or updated.
Determine the accuracy and reliability of the information.
Consider the balance of information.

6. Identify the Website Author
Find out who wrote or sponsors the website.
Are they experts?
Read “About” the person or group the website belongs to.
What comes up when you “search” the author’s name?
Is there a link for contacting the author or company?
Key Concepts: Determine the authorship or sponsorship of the website.

7. Identify the Website’s Purpose Teach • Entertain • Convince • Sell • ???
Sometimes the purpose of the website is not clear.
Some sites include misleading information to help sell their products.
Does the website have anything for sale?
Does the website invite you to sign up for something?
Rationale: This slide details some of the problems in identifying web sites. In particular, students often have difficulty separating advertising from information.

8. Look at when the website was published or updated.
Can you find a date created, posted, updated or copyright date?
Does the information cover recent changes or advances for the topic you are researching?
Key Concepts: Some sites will state at the bottom of the home page statements such as “Date of Creation: 6/1/99” or “Updated 7/7/99.” If dates are clearly stated in this way, you should be able to rely upon them.
However, rely upon your context clues. Does the information provided cover recent changes or advances in your topic? If not, the information is probably outdated.
Example: For example, if your topic is cloning and you located a web site that discusses cloning as if it had not taken place yet, you would know that the information was published before Dolly, Gene, and other famous cloning experiments were successfully completed.

9. Determine the accuracy and credibility of the information.
Do I find the same information at more than one site?
Are there references given for the information?
Are there links to more websites on the same topic?

10. Consider the balance of information.
Is the content opinion or fact?
Does the website tell both sides of the story?
Is there information that the website didn’t include?
Is the author trying to convince me to believe or feel a certain way?

11. Evaluating Internet Sources
Who wrote or sponsors the website?
What is the purpose of the website?
When was the website published or updated?
Is the information accurate and reliable?
Is there a good balance of information?
Rationale: This slide reemphasizes the main points of the presentation. This may be a good time to distribute and discuss the website evaluation worksheets.

12. Your Turn
Use your Website Evaluation Sheet to evaluate two of the three websites below
Digital Inspiration
Decoded Stuff
Pirate Names