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SKYCTC Learning Commons

Website Evaluation: Website Evaluation Tutorial

A guide to help students with finding and evaluating information on websites. The guide is best viewed in Safari, Mozilla Firefox, or Google Chrome.

Directions for Website Evaluation Tutorial

Work through the Website Tutorial from top to bottom. Read the content, watch the videos, and click on the links in each section. Answer the practice poll questions to quiz yourself. For help with this tutorial, use the Ask a Librarian or Tutor link at the top of this page.

1. Read about What You Will Learn in This Tutorial

After completing this module you will be able to:

  • Define the Internet, the Cloud, web browser, and search engine.
  • Use keywords in a search engine to retrieve web pages about a specific topic.
  • Refine your search using search engine tools.
  • Evaluate the quality of a website the C.O.A.R. criteria.

2. Complete the GCFLearnFree.org Tutorial about the Internet, the Cloud, Web Browsers, and Search Engines

We often mean the same thing when we say the Internet, the Web, or Google, but they are really separate pieces of the puzzle. 

The Internet is like a highway that transmits information between computer networks all over the world. The World Wide Web (Web for short) is just one service on the Internet. The web pages, videos, and images found on the Web are like destinations along the highway where the public can access this information. Web browsers, like Safari, Firefox, or Chrome, allow users to interact with content on websites. Search engines like Google or Bing are programs that comb through Web content to retrieve results for specific searches. They will locate web pages, images, videos, and audio files that are on the World Wide Web. 

3. Quiz Yourself about the Internet, the Cloud, Web Browsers, and Search Engines

Practice Question 1: The Internet is the same as Google.
True: 1320 votes (19.9%)
False: 5313 votes (80.1%)
Total Votes: 6633
Practice Question 2: What is the Cloud?
Google: 74 votes (1.15%)
the Internet: 658 votes (10.23%)
search engine: 5099 votes (79.26%)
Web browser: 602 votes (9.36%)
Total Votes: 6433

4. Complete the GCFLearnFree.org Tutorial about Better Search Strategies

To get the best results when using search engines, use the tips found in this short tutorial from GCFLearnFree.org.

5. Watch This Video about Using Advanced Search Options

To find more specific results, use the advanced search options in Google. Watch this short video on how to do this. 

6. Try a Simple and Advanced Search in Google

Type one word in the Google search box. 

Google Web Search

Use the gear tool or click this link to reach the Advanced Search options in Google. Use the site or domain limiter to change the search results.

7. Quiz Yourself about Web Searching

Practice Question 3: Which search will get more specific results?
"drug abuse": 458 votes (8.22%)
drugs: 218 votes (3.91%)
"drug abuse" marijuana Kentucky: 4896 votes (87.87%)
Total Votes: 5572
Practice Question 4: What is one way to sort your search results?
ads: 383 votes (6.95%)
spelling: 3986 votes (72.33%)
tools: 1142 votes (20.72%)
Total Votes: 5511

8. Read about the C.O.A.R. Criteria for Evaluating Websites and Watch a Short Video

To evaluate information from websites, use the tips found in this short tutorial from GCFLearnFree.org.

 

C.O.A.R. is an acronym to help you remember the criteria for evaluating and judging information:

C: Currency - date created or updated

O: Objectivity - unbiased and balanced

A: Authority - author, creator, publisher, reviewer

R: Reliability - valid, accurate, and organized

9. Quiz Yourself about Judging Online Information and Evaluating Websites

Practice Question 5: The Onion is a reliable source for news.
True: 878 votes (17.5%)
False: 4138 votes (82.5%)
Total Votes: 5016
Practice Question 6: What is bias?
only representing one side of an issue: 1002 votes (19.98%)
presenting a balanced view of an issue: 136 votes (2.71%)
only giving facts about an issue: 3878 votes (77.31%)
Total Votes: 5016
Practice Question 7: Students need to be aware of any bias when they use information from websites in an assignment.
True: 4583 votes (97.32%)
False: 126 votes (2.68%)
Total Votes: 4709
Practice Question 8: Wikipedia is a reliable web resource.
True: 1020 votes (21.61%)
False: 3701 votes (78.39%)
Total Votes: 4721
Practice Question 9: Which of the following websites is the least reliable?
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute: 53 votes (7.11%)
Lasik@Home: 386 votes (51.81%)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: 43 votes (5.77%)
People Magazine: 263 votes (35.3%)
Total Votes: 745

Disclaimer

The websites used in this presentation are for instructional purposes and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or ideas of the presenters or Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College. Users should be aware that they may encounter potentially offensive material at some sites.