The Internet is fast becoming the most widely used source of information. You, if not yet, will be using this medium for research on a daily basis.

There are lots of great organizers, surveys and methods currently in use. Most are similar to one another, with minor variations in the names of criteria categories. Listed below are some other great resources on Web site evaluation. I believe that one should take some time to see what is available, browse through several, and pick the one that best fits your needs.

However, I am going to advance a slightly different approach which for me, is the best way to think about critical evaluation. One reason I like it is that I've used the same criteria to teach students how to conduct investigative reporting, and since I am familiar with that method, transferring it over to Web site evaluation is easier for me. The criteria involves...

Many of us are familiar with the Five W approach, but think about these question starters when you are investigating the validity of a Web site.

Who wrote the pages and are they an expert in the field?

What is the purpose of the site?

Where does the information come from?

When was the site created, updated, or last worked on?

Why is the information valuable?

Look at the five investigative questions listed below for more details.

The Who? question is linked to evaluating the Web site's Authority. When you look at a Web site critically, you should try to decide if the author is credible. Sometimes the author of the page is not expressly written, but you should still be able to see who sponsored the information found on a Web site, and so the sponsor should be evaluated. You might also ask:

• Can you tell who the author is? If not, what organization is sponsoring this Web site?
• Is the author/sponsor well-regarded in this field?
• Is there a place on the Web site where you can contact the author/sponsor?
• Are you led to additional information about the author? A place of work? Biographical info?
• How did you get here? Did you link to this site from a site you trust?

The What? question is linked to evaluating the Web site's Objectivity. When you evaluate a Web site, it is important that you attempt to determine what the purpose of the site is. While researching the Internet, you should look for sites that are designed to inform, not sell or persuade. You should note whether the author is writing with a minimum of bias. You might also ask:

• Is this page mostly fact or mostly opinion?
• Does the author attempt to over-generalize or simplify information as to detract from fact?
• Do any of the facts appear out of context? Are they applied in a way to persuade you?
• Are there links to the organization sponsoring the page? Or, does this seem like a lone person trying to voice his/her opinion?
• Is the page actually an advertisement disguised as information?

The Where? question is linked to noting the Accuracy of the information. You should be wary of Web sites that do not cite where they got their information, or provide links to other Web sites that corroborate or add to what they are saying. You should investigate the citations and evaluate them as well! Valid Web sites are free of spelling and grammatical errors as well. You might also ask:

• Does the author let the reader know where the information came from? Did he/she provide citations?
• Do the citations appear to be accurate and valid?
• Can you double-check the citations because the author linked to them?
• Does the author provide links to related Web sites you can use to continue your research?

The When? question is linked to discovering the Currency of the information. A credible Web site should include the date that it was created and the date it was last updated. You should ask yourself if it is important that you use the most current information available. If yes, then you need to look carefully at the Web site to make sure this is one that you should use. You might also ask:

• Does the date this Web site was created appear on it somewhere?
• Can I tell when this information was last updated?
• If not, can I tell how old the information is by the language used in the writing? the citations?
• Does it matter to me whether this information is outdated? Why?

The Why? question is linked to evaluating what Coverage this information has across the wide spectrum of the Internet. You need to look for information that is corroborated by other sources, at the same time however, you also need to find information that is unique, and/or different from what you have already found through research. You might also ask:

• Does this Web site provide valuable information? Or, should I keep researching?
• Is this new information to me? Is it something I haven't yet discovered?
• Can I corroborate this information, meaning, can I confirm its reliability by finding similar information elsewhere, from places I trust?

Now that you understand the concept behind Web site evaluation, you might be interested in finding out more about it , or activities designed to help you practice evaluating Web resources.

1) Fact or Opinion (http://www.frii.com/~pmb/factop.html)

This is a Web site activity I created for use once one has been taught the Five W's of Web Site Evaluation. The activity takes the students to four different sites about the Holocaust. Students are asked to skim and scan the sites, and then evaluate each according to the Five W's.

2) Kathy Schrock's Critical Evaluation Information (http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/eval.html)

Her Critical Evaluation Surveys are generally the most popular ones on the Internet. Kathy Schrock, a highly regarded educator and media specialist, has been compiling information regarding Web site evaluation for several years. She provides loads of links to other information about Web site evaluation, and a critical evaluation survey for each - elementary, middle, and secondary school levels.

3) The Good the Bad and the Ugly, or, Why It's a Good Idea to Evaluate Web Sources (http://lib.nmsu.edu/staff/susabeck/eval.html)

Susan E. Beck, Instruction Coordinator at New Mexico State University has created a terrific site that can be used with students who are learning to evaluate Web sites. Susan details the criteria used to evaluate sites, i.e, Accuracy (Where), Authority (Who) Currency (When), Objectivity (What), and Coverage (Why) - supported with links that enhance the understanding of the criteria. Also, Susan provides a list of super examples of Web sites that you can use with students to practice their evaluative techniques.

4) Thinking Critically about World Wide Web Resources (http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/college/instruct/web/critical.htm)

Esther Grassian of UCLA College Library has written a brief outline regarding the questions one should pose while evaluating a Web site. This site would benefit older students as it provides more investigative questions they can use to determine reliability.

5) Evaluating Web Resources: Links to Examples of Various Concepts (http://www2.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/examples.htm)

Janet E. Alexander and Marsha A. Tate at Widener University created a list of links to various Web sites to further your discussion with students regarding Accuracy (Where), Authority (Who) Currency (When), Objectivity (What), and Coverage (Why) and other Web page evaluating criteria.

6) Ed's Oasis - Critical Evaluation Surveys (http://www.edsoasis.org/2guide3.html)

Ed provides a unique approach to evaluating Web sites. He has created a scoring guide to tally up the good and bad points about a particular Web site. The score determines whether or not you should use the site. He has a short form for students as well, but I believe teachers should take a look at it for their own use as well.

Page Address: http://www.frii.com/~pmb/webeval.html

This Web site was developed by Diane Lauer, Conrad Ball Middle School, to help teachers and students learn to critically evaluate Web sites. It was created on 11/9/99. The sources listed above were used as resources for this site. If you have any questions or comments please email me.