1. Evaluating Web Pages Leigh Grass EDT 525 June 2006

2. Before you begin… Evaluating web pages requires: 1.Develop a technique to help you quickly scan web pages for pertinent information 2.Be critical of each page to determine if the web pages author can be trusted

3. The URL… Appropriate Domain –Educational (edu) –Government (gov/mil/us) –Nonprofit (org/net) –Commercial (com) –Foreign country (look at country code)

4. The URL… Is it a personal page? –Personal name (lgrass or grass) preceded by a tilde (~) sign, percent sign (%), or the words “users”

5. The Author… What credentials are listed for the author If there is no author listed, look for an organization that claims responsibility for the page Contact information-email address Different than a Webmaster

6. Currency Is the web page current enough for the topic? When was it originally produced? When was it last updated? Are all the links current?

7. Purpose What goals/objectives does this page meet? –To explain, sell, share, persuade? Is the information detailed? Is the information biased by the author’s thoughts and/or opinions?

8. Accuracy Well-document sources Related links or additional sites..do they work? If information is from another source, is it complete? CUPS (capitalization, usage, punctuation, spelling)

9. Handouts/Readings Teaching Zack to Think Web Page Evaluation Checklist

10. “I saw it on the internet…so it must be true!!” Jackaloupe Conspiracy Dihydrogen Monoxide ResearchDihydrogen Monoxide Research McWhortle Bio-Hazard DetectorMcWhortle Bio-Hazard Detector Aluminum Foil Deflector Kennewick man Welcome to Ruritania California Velcro Crop Martin Luther King Jr Holocaust Controversy Fake of Photo HIV and Aids Disney Online Male pregnancy Lip Balm Anonymous

11. Works Cited Web Page Evaluation checklist. 20 June 2006 <http://www. sad42.k12.me.us/lib/calib/citing_research/lib_citing.htm> Evaluating Web Pages: Techniques to Apply & Questions to Ask. 20 June 2006. Gail Garthwait, EDT 525; Summer 2006 Five Criteria for Evaluating Web Pages. 20 June 2006.