1. Evaluating a Web Site

2. Student Objectives  Student will compile a web site evaluation folder to use for reference use. All assignments will be placed in this folder for final grade.

3. Student Objectives  Student will use web evaluation guidelines to determine authenticity.  Student will choose 3 forms from a choice of 4 to use for evaluations. Use forms to evaluate five sites as given by teacher. (place in folder)

4. Student Objectives  * Access article from site: http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/wp/credibility/page1. htm http://lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/wp/credibility/page1. htm (Read article, “Why Evaluate Web Information?” (place in Web Site Evaluation folder with three reasons why we evaluate sites)

5. Student Objectives  Student will be given questions to use as a guideline to web evaluation.  Student will answer questions in order to determine the validity of a web page. (place in folder)

6. Topics Covered  The importance of web evaluation  Review of traditional evaluation criteria  Application of evaluation criteria to specific types of web resources

7. Importance of Web Evaluation  Quality of web resources varies tremendously!  Scams are out there!  Truth or falsehood?  Bias/Objectivity of information?  The search for trustworthy information.

8. Evaluation Criteria  Authority  Objectivity  Accuracy  Currency  Coverage

9. Criterion #1: Accuracy  Almost anyone can publish on the Web  Many Web resources not verified by editors and/or fact checkers  Web standards to ensure accuracy not fully developed.

10. Criterion #2: Authority  Often difficult to determine authorship of Web resources  If author’s name listed, his/her qualifications often absent  Publisher responsibility often not indicated

11. Criterion #3: Objectivity * Web often functions as a “virtual soapbox” * Goals/aims of persons or groups presenting material often not clearly stated

12. Criterion #4: Currency  Dates not always included on Web pages  If included, a date may have various meanings: -Date first created -Date placed on Web -Date last reviewed

13. Criterion #5: Coverage  Web coverage may differ from print or other media coverage  Often hard to determine extent of Web coverage

14. Questions to Ask?  Who wrote it?  When was it written?  Why was it written?  Is is biased?  Is is authentic?  Is the author an expert? (http://library/usm.maine.ed u/guides/webeval.html print and place in folder)http://library/usm.maine.ed u/guides/webeval.html  Is the page easy to use?  Is the page free from HTML errors?  Are the graphics useful?  Can you verify the information?  Is the bibliography included?

15. Web Page Evaluation Procedure Step 1: Identify the type of Web Page Advocacy Business/Marketing Informational News Personal Entertainment

16. Web Page Evaluation Procedure Step 2: Use the appropriate checklist * Answer questions with “Yes” or “No”

17. Web Page Evaluation Procedure Step 3: Based on the checklist criteria, determine the relative quality of the Web page *the greater number of checklist questions answered “yes”, the more likely the page is of higher informational quality

18. Internet Reference Sites  http://lrs.edu.uiuc.edu/wp/credi bility/page1/htm http://lrs.edu.uiuc.edu/wp/credi bility/page1/htm  http://library/usm.maine.edu/gu ides/webeval.html http://library/usm.maine.edu/gu ides/webeval.html  http://school.discovery.com/sc hrockguide/evalhigh.html http://school.discovery.com/sc hrockguide/evalhigh.html  http://muse.widener.edu/Wolfg ram-Memorial- Library/webeval/eval1198/sld0 02.htm http://muse.widener.edu/Wolfg ram-Memorial- Library/webeval/eval1198/sld0 02.htm  http://mciunix.mciu.k12.pa.us/ ~spjvweb/evalrole.html http://mciunix.mciu.k12.pa.us/ ~spjvweb/evalrole.html  Students will use material taken from each of these sites  The four evaluation forms are adapted from these sites  Students will have to access a few of these sites in order to complete assignments

19. Overview of Lesson  Inclusion seniors: Study Skills class  Length of lesson: one school week or as needed from student pace

20. Conclusion  Students will understand the importance of Web Evaluation  Students will compile a working portfolio for Web Evaluation usage  Students will have a broad variety of Web Evaluation forms to choose from  Students will complete Web Evaluations using criteria given