Evaluating Sites

Inexpensive access to Web publishing makes the critical evaluation of a site's content vital. Literally anyone can put up a page, the content of which can look completely "official" and yet the source is not authoritative. In addition, practical factors such as browser compatibility and download must be considered when including Web pages on your site. We have included a few key resources to introduce the differences between Web pages and more familiar resources as well as a model tool for formal Web-site evaluation. To find activities for helping your students develop their critical thinking online, visit In The Classroom: Teaching Evaluation Skills.

Concepts

Evaluating Information Found on the Internet

Points to consider: who wrote it? who published it? what's the point of view? is it current? is it authentic? does it refer to other sources? This is an excellent article by Elizabeth E. Kirk.
http://www.library.jhu.edu/elp/useit/evaluate/

Thinking Critically about World Wide Web Resources

A concise list of points to consider when evaluating Web sites.
http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college/help/critical/index.htm

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Tools

JITT Site Evaluation Form

Adapted from Blue Web'n's criteria, this is the form used by the Just In Time Training team to evaluate sites for inclusion on this Web site.
http://www.open.k12.or.us/jitt/evalform.htmL

Rubric for 'Publishable Quality' Engaged Learning Web Sites

From Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FermiLab) LInC online courses, USDE, Batavia, IL; used by LInC participants to evaluate their own Web pages as well as those of others.
http://www-ed.fnal.gov/trc/projects/rubric.html

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