LEARN TO RECOGNIZE

And

EVALUATE WEB SITES

By Pam Work

GOAL: Students will be able to view both news and informational web pages and to correctly identify and effectively evaluate each type.

OVERVIEW: Your experiences on the web will take you to many confusing sites. Most of your academic career involves locating and researching material. How do you know that what you are viewing is legitimate and worthy of your time? What standards must be met by a web page?

ACTIVITY: You will access a web site that will provide a checklist of guidelines pertaining to the recognition and evaluation of informational and news web pages. Read this information thoroughly, taking notes when needed. There are five criterions that you will be responsible for identifying and supporting in your assignment.

ASSIGNMENT: Refer to your library media specialist who will provide you with a web-based subscription site. Enact a search that will result in locating both types of web pages: a) informational and b) news. Once you have made your query, or search, decide on two sites for each type of web page. You will use the stated criterion to evaluate your four sites. Next, based on your evaluation, rate each site. Your rating scale is your design. You may choose to rate the site by rewarding stars or numbers, checklists, T- table, or your own imagination. Make certain that if you choose to rate with numbers that you make clear the meaning of each number. For example, will the number 1 be a rating for an excellent site or a poor site. Finally, you will present your information in form of a written paragraph, power point presentation, or poster. Read the rubric that is provided below carefully. The rubric will tell you exactly what is required of your project for the grade that you desire.

CLICK HERE TO BEGIN: http://www2.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/webevaluation/webeval.htm

Click on the News Web Pages and Informational Web Pages links for the checklists.

RUBRIC

Component	Beginning	Developing	Accomplished
Rating	Little thought given to the rating process.	Rating of sites is complete but shows inconsistency.	Thoughtful and systematic evaluation is evident.
Presentation	Little to no evidence of correct identification using set criterions or text support given for each site	Correct identification of sites is clearly stated, criterions have been used effectively, but text support is weak.	Strong evidence that all criterions have been used for correctly identifying each site as good or bad, rating of each site is conclusive and present, and strong text support is provided in presentation.

For further information refer to Evaluating Web Pages: Techniques to Apply & Questions to Ask at http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html