Evaluating Websites

As a teacher, I want to be able to make sure me students are being exposed to relevant information about the topics I am teaching them.  One way to do that is to make sure they know how to look at a website and know if the information given is true or made up.  The first tool that they should use to decide if a website is credible is to use the knowledge that they already have on the subject.  By using what they have already learned in class, they will be able to evaluate the information that is given on the website.  You could use this strategy when evaluating the All About Explorers website.  I looked up Christopher Columbus and found it to state that he was born in 1951 and died in 1906.  First of all, I know that Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492 so it doesn’t make sense that it says he was born in 1951.  Also, he can’t die before he is born because that’s just not possible.  Another tool that can be used is to look at the bottom of the site for a link that tells you a little more about the site.  The All About Explorers website had a link to more information and it told you that the site had bogus information on it and was used as a tool to help students determine credibility of internet sites.  This information may also tell you who puts on the site and who they may be affiliated with, making it easier to determine if the site is credible.  Knowing if what you are looking for has another name is another way to determine credibility.  Dihydrogen Monoxide is also known as water.  When I was looking at that site, much of what they were saying about water was true, but if you didn’t know they were talking about water it sounded like they were talking about a toxic substance that really is harmful to you.  I would also use websites that you already know to be credible to determine if another site is credible.  The Save the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus site is mentioned on Wikipedia for example as being a hoax because there is no such thing as a Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus.  The most important thing I think to tell students is if they really are in doubt about a site to ask a teacher or parent to look through it with them to determine the credibility.  Using the knowledge they have on the subject, other sites, and information about who puts on the site are all ways to determine credibility of a website.