Questioning Online Media

1. Questioning Online Media How to evaluate a website

2. Question It! Each of these websites provides a strategy for evaluating websites: • http://www.radcab.com/ Click on each letter to learn more. • http://kathyschrock.net/abceval/5ws.pdf • http://vtdoenetworks.pbworks.com/f/CARRDSS.pdf Which one works for you?

3. Know Your ABCs • A = author   Who created the site?  Are they an expert, reputable? • B = bias  What's the author's/creator's angle?  Is it to sell something or educate? • C = credibility  How credible is the information?  Can it be verified by at least two other good sources, such as online encyclopedias or databases or books from our library? This is another strategy you could use.

4. Which of these is the real site? • http://descy.50megs.com/Emankato/mankato.html • http://www.ci.mankato.mn.us • Think about the following: • Where is Mankato? • What is the current temperature? • What tourist activities are available? • Is the map correct?

5. Which of these sites would be better to use for a research project? • http://chamaeleonidae.com/Home.html • http://www.chameleonsonline.com/ Can you find who made the sites? Hint: Look at Contact Us and Biography.

6. True or false? Check out the websites on the following slides and see if you can figure out if they are about real things or not. What clues help you determine the validity of the site?

7. True or false? • http://home.inreach.com/kumbach/velcro.html about California's Velcro Crop • http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus.html about the endangered "tree octopus" • http://www.thedogisland.com about Dog Island where all dogs can be free • http://www.dhmo.org/ reports on a "chemical threat to NJ" • http://www.yogakitty.com Yoga videos for you and your cat • http://funphone.com/old about free phone service through the internet • http://www.buydehydratedwater.com about Dehydrated Water

8. True or false? • http://www.molossia.org/countryeng.html about the Republic of Molossia • http://www.fertnel.com about the Fernel Snack Company • http://www.internetfirstpage.com shows the first page of the internet • http://www.license.shorturl.com/ This site allows you to search over 220 million driver's licenses that have been scanned into a national database and made publicly available. Check out what the driver's license photos of all your friends look like. • http://www.sudftw.com/jackcon.htm about the Jackalope (legendary and FEARSOME species) • http://www.fvza.org about the Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency

9. True or false? • http://www.fvza.org about the Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency • http://www.brookview.karoo.net/Sellafield_Zoo/index.html The website of the Sellafield Zoo, located near the Sellafield Nuclear Power Plant. It boasts that it's the zoo "where the wildlife has a half-life." • http://www.pmichaud.com/toast/ on how strawberry poptarts make exceptional blow torches • http://www.ninjaburger.com about a new type of fast food, Ninja Burger • http://zapatopi.net/bsa.html on the Bureau of Sasquatch (that's Bigfoot) affairs • http://www.origamiboulder.com/ about the Origami Boulder Company • http://improbable.com/airchives/classical/cat/cat.html shows feline reactions to bearded men

10. True or false? • http://www.idiotica.com/cranium/encyclopedia/content/mars.htm • http://www.zapatopi.net/afdb.html • http://www.saskschools.ca/~ischool/tisdale/integrated/wysiwyg/assignment_1.htm  about an artist. Be sure to follow the “begin your research at this web site” link. • http://www.idiotica.com/cranium/encyclopedia/content/chocolatesupplyexhausted.htm about mining for chocolate. • http://www.zapatopi.net/afdb.html about aluminum foil deflection beanies http://www.idiotica.com/cranium/encyclopedia/content/mars.htm about Mars. http://www.geoffmetcalf.com/bread.html about the dangers of bread