Transcript WebevalTutorial2013

Evaluating
Websites
BEFORE USING A WEBSITE FOR RESEARCH
ASK THESE QUESTIONS FIRST…….
Who ?
Authority
Why ?
Purpose
What?
Credentials
When ?
Current
WHO
Who writes for the website?
Are the authors experts in their field/authority on the topic?
 Who publishes the website?
 Are they well-known ?
Can you contact them?
 Is there a phone number or mailing address (look for “about us” links to find that
information)
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE SITE?
To Sell ?
TO INFORM
For research you want to use sites that are INFORMING you (not selling or persuading
or entertaining you)
ASK yourself-- Is it OBJECTIVE ?
 Or is it biased or prejudiced ?
 Are the authors or publishers of the website trying to persuade you to their point of
view?
 Are they trying to sell you something?
 Are they entertaining you and creating a spoof?
 What’s wrong with this site Lake Michigan Whale Watching ?
WHEN WAS THE SITE CREATED OR LAST UPDATED?
CURRENCY
Is it Current
Is it
contemporary
Or is it
outdated?
Look for a date at the bottom of the website.
CAPOW!
Before watching this video about evaluating websites
can you figure out what some of the letters in the
acronym CAPOW stand for?
 (they were used in this tutorial)
WHERE DOES THE INFORMATION COME FROM?
.edu
.org
.gov
Domains
are clues
.mil
.net
.com
DOMAINS MOST RELIABLE FOR RESEARCH
.edu (education)
.gov (government)
.mil (military)
EVALUATE THESE DOMAINS CLOSELY:
.com (commercial) they may be trying to sell you something
.org (organization) mostly non-profits
 BUT now anyone can buy a .org domain so sometimes they are ‘hate sites’ or
spoofs
.net (network)
Always check facts from 3 sources to avoid being fooled from spoofs like the Lake
Michigan Whale watching!
REVIEW
Here are criteria to remember when evaluating websites:
Authority (Who) Are they experts in their field?
Accuracy Are all facts correct?
Coverage Does the site offer enough information?
Currency (When) Is there a copyright and update date
Objectivity Is it unbiased? Is it fact based not opinion based?
Purpose (Why) Why are they publishing the site? To inform or sell
LINK TO THIS VIDEO
View this xtranormal project that explains how to
evaluate websites slightly differently then the
CAPOW video.
WORKSHEET
Open the worksheet (also located on the Media Lit classwork site)
Save to your H-Drive
Complete answers (this will be graded)
Print and hand in to me
When finished go to TypingPal and practice (or other project if you
have passed Final Test)