Evaluating Websites

Why evaluate a website?•ANYONE can create a website!

•How do you know the author is an EXPERT on the topic?

•How do you know the information is UP TO DATE?

•How do you know the information is ACCURATE and what you need?

The Five W’s of Website Evaluation•Who•What•When•Where•Why

From Kathy Schrock’s The Five W’s of Web Site Evaluation

Who?•Who wrote the pages?

•Are they an expert on this topic?

•Is information about the author included?

•How can I find out more about the author?

•Is there a way to contact the author?

What?•What is the purpose of the site?

•What else might the author have in mind for the site?

•Is there advertising on the site?

•Does the site reflect bias or opinion?

•What makes the site easy to use?

•What information is included? Is it accurate?

BuyStuff.com!

When?•When was the site created?•When was the site last updated?•Do the links work?

Where?•Where does the information come from?

•Does the author include references ?•Where can I find out more about the owner of the site? •Check the URL (web address)

•Does an organization, institution or person’s name appear in the address?

•What is the domain?•.gov – government sites•.edu – educational institution sites•.org – non-profit sites (but not always)•.com – commercial site•.net – anyone can buy this site

Why?•Why is this information useful for my purpose?

•Why should I use this information?

•Why is this source better than another?

Putting the Skills to Practice!•Choose a website… •Use the evaluation guide to answer….

http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/pdf/evalelem.pdf

•Who•What•When•Where•Why

•Decide: Is it a trustworthy and useful site?

ReferencesAvon School District. (n.d.) Internet Detective - Website Validity - CSI: Computer Search Investigator. Retrieved from http://www.avon.k12.ct.us/enrichment/Enrich/gr4students.htm

Barker, J., & Obromsook, J. (2009, August 11). Evaluating web pages: Techniques to apply & questions to ask. Retrieved from University of California—Berkeley Library website: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html

Beck, S. (2009, April 27). The good, the bad, and the ugly or, why it’s a good idea to evaluate web resources. Retrieved from New Mexico State University Library website: http://lib.nmsu.edu/instruction/eval.html

Google. (2010). Zoo animal search. http://www.google.com/#hl=en&source=hp&q=zoo+animals&aq=f&aqi=g5g-s1g4&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=CUzVo-49MTP6HBYWWhgS18_XODAAAAKoEBU_Qn-09&fp=6a9830dd42f5b017.

Henderson, J. R. (2009, August 26). A guide to critical thinking about what you see on the web. Retrieved from Ithaca College Library: http://www.ithaca.edu/library/training/think.html

Houghton Mifflin Company. (2002). Using the Web. Retrieved from http://www.eduplace.com/kids/usingweb/g6-8.html

ReferencesKapoun, J. (2010). Five criteria for evaluating web pages. Retrieved from: http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/webcrit.html

Microsoft Office. (2010). Clip art . Retrieved from http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/default.aspx??Origin=EC790014051033&CTT=6&ver=12&app=powerpnt.exe

Schrock, K. (Dec. 1998/Jan. 1999). The ABCs of website evaluation. Retrieved from Discovery Education website http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/pdf/weval.pdf

Schrock, K. (2010). Critical evaluation of a web site: Elementary school level. Retrieved from Discovery Education website: http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/pdf/evalelem.pdf

Schrock, K. (2009). The five Ws of website evaluation. Retrieved from Discovery Education website: http://kathyschrock.net/abceval/5ws.pdf

Schrock, K. (2010). Kathy Schrock’s guide for educators : Critical evaluation information. Retrieved from Discovery Education website: http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schrockguide/eval.html

Zapato , L. (2010, June 12). Northwest Tree Octopus. Retrieved from http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/.

Created for Inst Tech 6031, University of Houston Clear Lake