Evaluating Websites for Credibility

It is very important that we as teachers properly educate our students the correct way to evaluate websites for credibility.  We want to make sure their mind is absorbing the best material it possibly can.  After looking at the examples sites provided by my Professor of Education 331, I believe I have come up with the process I will have my students learn so they know how to accurately evaluate websites for their credibility.  First thing they should look for is their an author posted on the website? Who is the author? Is there any evidence that this author is credible for what he/she has stated? He/she in order to be credible must have qualifications or connections to the subject.  It is also good to uncover what organization or association this website is linked to.  A very important thing I would tell my students to look for is if the website has been updated recently.  The best information and facts will hold the most current information and facts.  You always want to look for the date when the website was last updated or revised.  Another thing that is important to look for is if the author cited sources and is there a bibliography?  I think I remember a trick for evaluating websites from when I was in Elementary school.  "The Five W's."  Who? What? When? Where? Why? Who wrote the pages and why are they an expert? What is the purpose of this site? When was site created or last updated? Where does the information come from? Why is this page better than another? I think another effective idea for this lesson would be to show my students pages that aren't credible.  What to look for that is false.  It is very important that they can distinguish a fake website from a credible one.  I definitely believe that proper education on how to evaluate a website for credibility is crucial because I want my students to be absorbing the best possible information they can!