Assessing Web Site Credibility

Preplanning

Select credibility rating format.

• Choose one of two approaches:

• Comparing two or more Web sites: Below is a list of several pairs of Web sites, with each pair containing one reliable site and one bogus site. If these topics do not match your curriculum focus, locate or create your own pair of suitable Web sites. This approach works best if the site appears to be plausible, but it is actually bogus.
• Evaluating a single Web site: This approach also works best if the site appears to be plausible, but it is actually bogus.

• If working with students on a specific research project, ask students to assess a common Web site or pair of Web sites and then assess several additional sites identified through their own Internet search.

Select suitable Web sites.

• Below is a list of paired Web sites, with each pair containing one reliable site and one bogus site. (Only the bogus site would be used when evaluating a single Web site.) Do not suggest to students that there is anything wrong with the sites. Also, if students are accessing these sites by computer, give only the Web site address (URL) as the title might influence students. Notice whether or not students read the title when they go to the site.

Web Site Pairs

(Clone Я-Us)