ESSENTIAL QUESTION

Why is it important to evaluate the source and validity of the information found on a Web site?

NETS*S STANDARD AND  PERFOMANCE INDICATOR

Technology Research Tools

  • Students use technology to locate, evaluate and collect information from a variety of sources.
  • Research and evaluate the accuracy, relevance, appropriateness, comprehensiveness, and bias of electronic information sources concerning real world problems.

MATERIALS

  • Inspiration® or online brainstorming tool, computer,  and projection device (or overhead and brainstorming transparency) (PDF) (JPG)
  • Critical evaluation tool for each student (PDF)
  • Internet access or hard copy of Web page for each student (PDF)
  • 5W's handout for each student (PDF)
  • The Important Booksummarizer sheet (PDF)

PROCEDURE

  1. Using Inspiration® or an online brainstorming tool and the computer (or the overhead and the transparency), have the students brainstorm a list of criteria which make a Web page useful for research. Answers should include title, author, date of creation, date of update, source of information, contact e-mail address, layout of page, ease of use, fast to load, etc.
  2. Hand out the 5 W's handout and the critical evaluation tool and go over both. Be sure to emphasize the importance of the credibility of the author and the source of the information on the page. Talk about ways to determine if information is correct (e.g. finding the information in a print source, on another Web page, via an expert)
  3. Surf to the Ban Dihydrogen Monoxide page (http://descy.50megs.com/descy/webcred/webcred/dhmo.html) or hand out the PDF version and have students, on their own or in small groups, evaluate the information on the page using the critical evaluation tool.
  4. Have the class come back as a group and discuss the pro's and con's of this page. Did anyone know the information was bogus? How could this be determined? Emphasize the fact, with little knowledge of a topic, it is almost impossible to know if the information located is correct.
  5. In small groups, have students visit some of the other bogus Web sites listed at the bottom of this page: http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/eval.html 
  6. Have them discuss the methods for finding out if the information is real or bogus.

ASSESSMENT

  1. Have the students fill out The Important Booksummarizing sheet.
  2. Have the students write a paragraph explaining why it is important to evaluate the information found on a Web page. Have them include the ways to find out more about the author, the sponsoring agency, or the information itself.
  3. Have the students create a list of 10 questions to ask themselves when critically evaluating the information they have found.

©2002-2011. Created by Kathy Schrock (kathy@kathyschrock.net)  Updated: 9/6/11
URL of this page: http://kathyschrock.net/eval/index.htm