Introduction: Evaluating Websites for Credibility
The internet has so much excellent information! It is THE place to turn to for research for your classes. However, you need to make sure that the websites that you are using are credible. Credible means that you can trust that the information has been written by an authority on the topic. It was created to inform you, not sell you a product. Most credible sources have an author, or are associated with a reputable organization, news source, or university.
Let's take a look at some ways to decide if a website is credible or not.
Step 1: Gain Attention: How Confident Are You Determining Credibility?
Take this quick poll and rate how comfortable you are with determining if a website is credible or not.
Step 2: Well, If You Are Not Comfortable, I Hope This Instruction Helps You Become More Comfortable!
My goal for you is that: Given a sample of credible and non-credible websites, you will evaluate each website for credibility with 80 % accuracy on their first attempt.
There will be a google quiz at the end for you to take to see if YOU reach my goal for you!
I know you can do it!
Step 3: Step 3: Recall Prior Knowledge
I know that you know something about determining credibility. Please add to the padlet using the plus + sign in the bottom right of the screen.
Answer the question: How do you determine if you should use a website for research? What do you look for?
Step 4: Step 4: View This Instructional Video on Some Ways to Determine If a Website Is Credible
Please view this video which explains ways to determine if a website is credible.
As you watch, write down one criteria per website that was used to determine if the website was a credible place to go for a research project.
Here is a Note Taking guide that you can use.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bIvyOVcYoSuvIG...
If you prefer to take handwritten notes you can print it out and write on it as you view the instructional video.
If you want to have it open on your computer at the same time as you watch the video, please type out one criteria that I used to determine if the website was credible or not for each source.
Here is a link to a library guide on Evaluating Credibility
Tips from their library guide:
The look and feel of the website - Reliable websites usually have a more professional look and feel than personal Web sites.
The URL of your results - The .com, .edu, .gov, .net, and .org all actually mean something and can help you to evaluate the website!
Are there advertisements on the site? - Advertisements can indicate that the information may be less reliable.
Check the links on the page - Broken or incorrect links can mean that no one is taking care of the site and that other information on it may be out-of-date or unreliable.
Check when the page was last updated - Dates when pages were last updated are valuable clues to its currency and accuracy.
Step 5: Now You Try! Check Out the Following Websites and Determine If They Are Most Likely Credible.
Please click on the link below and decide if this website is most likely credible or not?
https://www.britannica.com/topic/tourism
You can check your answer on the next step.
Step 6: Check Your Answer Here.
This website is an online resource from a reputable source. There is an author, who is a professor at a University of Spain. There is even a place to click cite which gives date of publication information.
Step 7: Is This Website Most Likely Credible?
Please click on the link below and decide if this website is most likely credible or not?
https://thepointsguy.com/guide/is-hawaii-open-for-...
You can check your answer on the next step.
Step 8: Check Your Answer Here.
Though some of this information may be true, if you look at the bottom of the website, he states that "he receives compensation". The author is not affiliated with a reputable news source, university , or nonprofit. I would not use this source for a research project.
Step 9: Is This Website Most Likely Credible?
Please click on the link below and decide if this website is most likely credible or not?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism
You can check your answer on the next step.
Step 10: Check Your Answer Here.
Though everyone loves wikipedia, it is not the place to go for a research paper. There is no author and anyone can edit the information, even if they have no authority on the topic.
However, you may be able to find some credible resources if you go to the bottom of the wikipedia site to "References". There you can see where some of the information found in the article was first located.
Step 11: Is This Website Most Likely Credible?
Please click on the link below and decide if this website is most likely credible or not?
https://www.hawaiitourismauthority.org/research/mo...
You can check your answer on the next step.
Step 12: Check Your Answer Here.
The first thing that might be noted is that this website is a .org which means it is an organization. I checked at the bottom of the website and it said, "We are the state’s official source for information on tourism market research, partnership opportunities, industry news and timely updates during emergency situations." I used this to determine that this is probably a good place to go for information.
Step 13: Is This Website Most Likely Credible?
Please click on the link below and decide if this website is most likely credible or not?
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20190618-how-...
You can check your answer on the next step.
Step 14: Check Your Answer Here.
The BBC is a well known news agency. There is also an author and a date of publication, which is also useful criteria for determining if a website is most likely credible or not.
Step 15: Is This Website Most Likely Credible?
Please click on the link below and decide if this website is most likely credible or not?
.https://misstourist.com/about/
You can check your answer on the next step.
Step 16: Check Your Answer Here.
This website has some interesting information, but it is not the place to go for research. It ends with a .com which means that the purpose of the website is to make money. Another thing is that there is no last name given in the "About" section. Thirdly, she does write that she receives compensation if you book from her website, so that shows that the primary goal of the website is to promote a service or product, not provide information.
Step 17: What Are Some of the Ways to Decide If a Website Is Credible?
Turn to a friend, or go back to the document that you used in step 4 when you viewed the instructional video and summarize some of the criteria that you can use to determine if a website is credible or not.
Step 18: Take the Google Quiz
Hopefully, you know there are multiple ways to decide if a website is credible or not. Pay attention to things like if there is an author, if you recognize the news source, if the publisher is listed and well known, if the website's purpose is to sell you a product or service, and if there is a date of publication.
All of these criteria will help you determine if a website is appropriate to use in a research project.
Ok, now take this google quiz to test your knowledge:
Google Quiz-Evaluating Websites for Credibility
I hope you met my goal: Given a sample of credible and non-credible websites, you will evaluate each website for credibility with 80 % accuracy on their first attempt.
