Evaluating Web Pages

“With the advent of the World Wide Web and the huge amount of information that is contained there, students need to be able to critically evaluate a Web page for authenticity, applicability, authorship, bias, and usability. The ability to critically evaluate information is an important skill in this information age.” From Kathy Schrock – Assessment Tools <http://schooldiscovery.com/schrockguide/eval.html

There are two ways teachers can assure that students use only the best and most reliable sites on the Internet.

1. Teachers can select the sites they want their students to use.

2. Teachers can teach students how to evaluate web sites with a critical eye.

Below are sites with tools for evaluating web pages:

High School

Evaluating Web Pages: A Web Quest - http://mciunix.mciu.k12.pa.us/~spjvweb/evalwebteach.html

Designed for 9-12 grades, students in groups examine 3 web sites and rate them according to criteria.

Evaluating Web Resources - http://www2.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/webevaluation/

This site sets up different criteria for different types of web sites, including advocacy web pages, business/marketing, informational, news, and personal web pages.

Evaluating a Web Site (from CRCS High School Library) - http://www.crcs.k12.ny.us/lib/hs/evaluating_internet_%20site.htm

Very clear and simple.

Middle School QUICK: The Quality Information ChecKlist - http://www.quick.org.uk/menu.htm

For middle school students, this site describes 8 ways to check the information on a web site.

UC Berkeley: Critical Evaluation Worksheet - http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/EvalForm.pdf

This short worksheet allows students to compare two web sites.

See also, the CRCS site under High School.

All Levels Critical Evaluation Information from Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators - http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/eval.html