Search for
Clues. Start by examining the page itself.
Look at the web address (URL). What kind of domain
(.edu, .gov, .org, .net, .com) is it? This doesn't
always help, but it may provide an indication of the
sponsor. Is it a government site, school resource,
museum, commercial or private web project? Try to
determine who published the page. Is it an individual
or an agency? Can you find a name attached to the
page? Look at the core page for the entire website
(everything between the http:// and the first /) and
see who sponsored the site and how information was
selected. You might also try truncating the website
address to see each level between slashes.
Sometimes you can
answer these questions by reading the creation
information at the bottom of the main page. Look for a
name, organization, or email address. If you can't
find the answer there, see if you can locate a page
that tells "about the website." Sometimes there's a
"contact us" page. The author of the page and the
webmaster may or may not be the same
person.
For information about
the content of the page, look for a link to an author
biography, philosophy, or background
information.
Another hint about
the quality of the website is the copyright date. When
was the page originally posted? When was the last time
the page was updated? This information is generally at
the bottom of each page or at least the first page of
the website.
If you are having trouble finding enough information on your manufacutred product using recommended websites and articles databases, use your best search techniques to find good information on the web.
Students need to
learn to evaluate the quality of information they find
on the web as well as other information resources such
as books, magazines, CD-ROM, and television. Ask
students to be skeptical of everything they find.
Encourage them to compare and contrast different
information resources. Consider the following
ideas:
Authority. Who says? Know the author.
Objectivity. Is the information biased? Think about
perspective.
Authenticity. Is the information authentic? Know the
source.
Reliability.
Is this information accurate? Consider the
origin of the information.
Timeliness.
Is the information current? Consider the
currency and timeliness of the information.
Relevance.
Is the information helpful? Think about
whether you need this information.
Efficiency.
Is this information worth the effort? Think about the
organization and speed of information
access.