Laura Adams

SLM 521

June 2002

 

Elective 9 –

Note:  This activity is intended for use by Grades 1-3.

 


Evaluating Websites

 

 

Anyone can create a web site…… about anything ……. even if they know nothing about the topic!!  Websites are created for many reasons, to sell you something, to tell you an what someone thinks or believes, to give you facts on a topic, etc.  It is not always easy to decide what a website is for and if includes good information.  Unlike books, there may not be someone checking the information for the author before it is put on the web.

In order for us to use the internet and the information on it wisely, we must learn how to evaluate each website we visit.  I have created two evaluation forms for you to print and complete as you begin to explore.  The first, Website Evaluation Worksheet 1 – The Five W’s, is a very simple worksheet which you can use to do a quick and easy evaluation.  Depending on the results of this form you may or may not choose to investigate the site further by using Website Evaluation Worksheet 2.  It provides for a more detailed examination of a site.  Below, I have listed two example sites for your review.  Please print worksheet 2 and look at these sites, take a look at the information I have included for each item.

 

 

 

Item 1.                 It is a good habit to begin to write down how you located sites so you can find them again. 

                                                            Did you find it from a good source?

 

Item 2.                 Does the author identify him/herself and could you contact them if you have questions?

                                             If this information is not provided you should wonder why, maybe the information is not valid.

                                             Is the author qualified in this field, do they know what they are talking about?

 

Item 3.                 What is the domain?  This is one way to tell what might be the purpose of the site. 

                                                                           .gov / .edu        Informational site sponsored by educational or government agencies

                                                                           .org                      Non-Commercial (Not for Profit)

                                                                           .com                     Commercial / Business

                                                                           .net                      Computer Network

                                                                           .int                       International

 

Item 4.                                Is the information current and up-to-date?  How long has it been around?

 

Item 5.                                Was the site easy to use and could you understand it?  This will be good to know if you want to go back.

                                             Did you get a lot of pop-up ads?  These can make any site annoying.

 

Item 6.                                Maybe most important.

 

                                            

 

 

Example 1 - The Good – The Children’s Butterfly Site

                                                                          

 

Example 2 – The Bad – MoonBeam Enterprise and The Lunar Travel Agency

 

 

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