Evaluation - why be wary?

Evaluating web sites - the 5 Ws - (adapted from Kathy Schrock ) and (5w's of cyberspace) and webevaluation tutorial/quiz

  • WHO - who wrote the pages and are they an expert?
  • WHAT - what does the author say is the purpose of the site?
  • WHEN - when was the site created
  • WHERE - where does the information come from?
  • WHY - why should I use his information? It is useful?
  • WHO - who wrote the pages
  • WHAT - what's the purpose, information
  • WHY - is there a bias
  • WHEN - when was the site created
  • HOW - well is the page designed

OR

R = Reliability: information backed by other sources
E = Evidence: do they explain and cite their evidence
A = Authority: who wrote the article
D = Date: when was the website updated

Lakeview High School, Battle Creek, Michigan

S = see if the author(s) have authority
M = many sites may be outdated
A = audience specifically may be targeted
R = reliability helps determine accuracy
T = try to determine is information is unbiased

 

Groups on the web - different groups publish web sites

Hate groups (http://web.archive.org/web/20010331054355/www.martinlutherking.org/)

URL information finders - who are the authors - who sponsors these sites?

Hackers spreading false information and rumors with links to malicious websites - Google search results on

Online marketing towards kids

Personal web pages -- free web site hosting

Personal web pages at universities and colleges - .edu sites with a ~ (tilda)

Wikipedia - an online encyclopedia that is able to be edited (vandalism)

Wikipedia prank and it's consequences - NY Times article on Seigenthaler

25 biggest blunders in Wikipedia history - false deaths and libel situations

15 biggest Wikipedia blunders

Check out some of these sites - are these valid sites??

DiHydrogen Monoxide

Hoaxes and bogus sites

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St. Joseph School Home Page. Comments, or complaints? Please email Barb Cutler, Librarian.. Last updated 3/2009