1. Evaluating the Credibility of Online Sources
By Julie Faulkner

2. Today's Objective:
Evaluate the reliability, credibility, and validity of websites.
TN SPI: 3.4.4; 3.4.5; 3.4.6
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.6 Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and style of a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.7 Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.1
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.8 Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.W.8 Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.SL.2 Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.
by Julie Faulkner, 2013

3. Fast Five: Reading (silently) and Responding
You Write: title of article, author, questions below and answers in complete sentences 1) What does credible mean in relation to a website? 2) What makes certain sources, such as Wikipedia, less credible? 3) What does biased mean in relation to a website? 4) What role should Wikipedia play in the world of research? 5) What are some best practices a good researcher does when he/she visits any website before citing from it?
Source for article:
Print copies and have available for students. This activity takes about mins to complete after time to work and time to discuss. This activity should provide background knowledge through nonfiction and the following slides should serve as reinforcement and review.
1 - accurate, valid, able to be backed up, sponsored
2 - biased, editable by anybody, unbalanced, incomplete
3 - more to one side eg women, religion, etc.
4 - it is a good starting place for founding information; it should not be cited
5 - look for credible authors, sponsors, use critical thinking, ask questions
Students do this on their own paper.

4. Example of Overt Falsehoods on the Web
From Wikipedia (a publically editable blog)

5. Checklist for Information Quality
CARS is an acronym for . . .
Credibility,
Accuracy,
Reasonableness,
and Support
CARS
Students write these notes on the paper they already started with the "Fast Five" info text reading activity.
This poster is FREE in my
Checklist for Information Quality

6. cars
Credibility check the URL (.gov or .edu) check the sponsor (a univ or goverment or medical agency) purpose (are they selling or informing or just talking)

7. cars
Accuracy correctness up to date (for what it is) spelling grammar mistakes

8. cars
Reasonableness tone (is it angry or whiny or professional) bias (does it lean more toward one side) logic (does it make sense)

9. cars
Support sponsored cited (research evidence provided) contact information

10. Crucial Information to be Cited
Website name – underline it when you write it
Website sponsor
Name of article – put it in quotes (even if it isn’t that way on the website)
Author’s name
Copyright/update date
Date you viewed it
Find a final exam for MLA at my store here:

11. Take a look and see if you can locate the crucial information…

12. Ball Toss Review
1) For what is CARS an abbreviation? 2) What type of tone should a credible website have? 3) Which URL address extensions are most credible? 4) What is the crucial information you must record from a website when you are researching? 5) Why do you need a credible site?
Toss a ball around the room to different people and have them respond to the questions.

13. On your own
Complete the website evaluation independent practice sheet before you begin your research.
This activity is for sale in my store here. It takes all the skills in this lesson and has students apply them to excerpts and images from actual websites.

14. Remember Cars
This handy research guide is for sale in my
Also great to use with my Primary and Secondary Sources Show and Tell MLA Research Antiques