Evaluating a Web Site

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.

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)

Student Objectives

*Access article from site: 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)

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)

Topics Covered

The importance of web evaluation

Review of traditional evaluation criteria

Application of evaluation criteria to specific types of web resources

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.

Evaluation Criteria

AuthorityObjectivityAccuracyCurrencyCoverage

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.

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

Criterion #3: Objectivity

* Web often functions as a “virtual soapbox”

* Goals/aims of persons or groups presenting material often not clearly stated

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

Criterion #5: Coverage

Web coverage may differ from print or other media coverage

Often hard to determine extent of Web coverage

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.edu/guides/webeval.html print and place in folder)

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?

Web Page Evaluation Procedure

Step 1: Identify the type of Web Page

• Advocacy• Business/Marketing• Informational • News• Personal• Entertainment

Web Page Evaluation Procedure

Step 2: Use the appropriate checklist

* Answer questions with “Yes” or “No”

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

Internet Reference Sites

http://lrs.edu.uiuc.edu/wp/credibility/page1/htm

http://library/usm.maine.edu/guides/webeval.html

http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/evalhigh.html

http://muse.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/webeval/eval1198/sld002.htm

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

Overview of Lesson

Inclusion seniors: Study Skills class

Length of lesson: one school week or as needed from student pace

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