Evaluating Web Resources

One of the critical components of the 5As of information literacy is analyzing the information gathered. In this age of technology, analyzing extends beyond written resources such as books, encyclopedias, magazines, and newspapers. The Internet now provides an almost limitless supply of information on any subject imagineable. Unfortunately, not everyone who publishes a web site is an expert on the subject; nor is it the intent of every author to provide factual, nonbiased information. Students must know that intentionally misleading websites exist, and know how to "evaluate the trustworthiness and authenticity of what they read on the Internet" (Westcott, 2005).

In order to begin evaluating a web site, students must first determine why they are viewing the site in the first place. Purposes for visiting a site might include entertainment, fact collection for a report, simple curiosity, collecting information to make consumer decisions, or any of an infinite number of other reasons (Fitzgerald, 1999). The reason for visiting determines the level to which they must analyze the information--gathering information for a report would require a closer examination of authenticity and reliability than visiting for simple curiosity.

Innumerable guides and rubrics for evaluating web sites can be found online, all varying in scope, complexity, and time required to complete the evaluation. Most teachers would probably balk at teaching their students to use Kathy Shrock's very thorough, but very time-consuming 26-point evaluation guide, The ABC's of Web Site Evaluation. However, the W from this guide provides a simple, effective evaluation tool by itself. Why not use a concept the students already know, the five Ws (who, what, when, where, why), to evaluate a web site?

• Who wrote the pages and are they an expert in the field?
• What does the author say is the purpose of the site?
• When was the site created,updated, last worked on?
• Where does the information come from?
• Why is the information useful? (Schrock, 1998)

Perhaps even more effective than using a ready-made evaluation guide, is initiating a class discussion of what factors must be considered when using a web site as a resource, then having the students create their own evaluation tool based on what they feel are the most important criteria (Beck, 1997). Regardless of what evaluation tool a teacher chooses to use, the students must be taught to use it properly and what to do with the results. Once students understand the strengths and weaknesses of the Internet, they will be able to successfully use it as a "powerful research tool and as a general source of information" (Beck, 1997).

References

Beck, S. (1997). Suggestions for successful Internet assignments. The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly: or, Why it's a Good Idea to Evaluate Web Sources. Retrieved March 4, 2006, from http://lib.nmsu.edu/instruction/evalsugg.html

Fitzgerald, M.A. (1999). Evaluating Information: An Information Literacy Challenge. School Library Media Research, 2. Retrieved March 4, 2006, from www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/slmrb/slmrcontents/volume21999/vol2fitzgerald.htm

Schrock, K. (1998, December). The ABC's of Web Site Evaluation [Electronic version]. Classroom Connect, 4-6.

Westcott, F. (2005, April 1). Intentionally Misleading Websites. techLearning. Retrieved March 4, 2006, from http://www.techlearning.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=159901583