Transcript Use these eight critical research skills….

It’s an Information
Jungle Out There!
http://www.infotopia.info
Not All Web Sites are Equal
• How do you sort the good ones from the bad?
http://www.infotopia.info
Let’s Imagine that Your
Assignment is to…
• Write a report about Egyptian mummies
http://www.infotopia.info
How Will You Find Information?
• Many students use the Internet first because it’s fast!
http://www.infotopia.info
Web Sites on Egyptian
Mummies…..
• With a few mouse clicks on
a search engine, you’ll find
hundreds or thousands of
web sites
http://www.infotopia.info
How Will You Know Which Web
Sites are the Best?
• Which web sites do I trust?
• How can I tell if the Web Site has accurate
information?
http://www.infotopia.info
For Reliable Searching on the
Internet…
• Use reputable search engines that are owned and
managed by professional librarians, such as
• www.infotopia.info
• www.kidtopia.info
• They are custom safe Google search engines that
only search web sites recommended by librarians,
teachers, and educational consortia
http://www.infotopia.info
For Reliable Searching on the
Internet…
• Use Internet directories sponsored by educators or
librarians such as…
• Internet Public Library (ipl.org)
• Best Info on the Net
(http://library.sau.edu/bestinfo/)
http://www.infotopia.info
For Reliable Searching on the
Internet…
• Use databases that your school library subscribes to
• Ask your librarian how to access them at school AND at
home
http://www.infotopia.info
Why Aren’t all Web Sites Equal?
• Remember that anyone can build a web site
I create web
sites in my
spare time!
http://www.infotopia.info
Why Aren’t all Web Sites
Equal?
• Some web sites have information that is wrong or misleading
Hey dude,
that web site
says there’s
no school
today!
http://www.infotopia.info
Why Aren’t all Web Sites
Equal?
• Some web sites are more interested in selling
something—a product or a point of view—than
providing the straight facts
This water has
been proven to
be the best for
your health!
http://www.infotopia.info
When You’re On Your Own…
• Use these eight critical research skills to distinguish
good web sites from the bad
http://www.infotopia.info
Eight Critical Research Skills
1. Who sponsors the Web
site?
•
The name of the person or
group in charge of the site
should be on their home
page.
•
Is the sponsor trying to
sell a product or promote
a political view?
http://www.infotopia.info
Critical Research Skills
2.
Who wrote the material? If no one takes
responsibility for the content, don’t trust the
information. Is the author an expert in the subject?
If so, the content is likely to be good.
http://www.infotopia.info
Critical Research Skills
3. How much information
does the site provide? The site
is really helpful if it is rich in
content. Is the information
complete?
http://www.infotopia.info
Critical Research Skills
4.
Is the information balanced?
Beware of sites that give only one side of a
controversial issue or that try to persuade you to
accept one point of view.
http://www.infotopia.info
Critical Research Skills
5. Is the material well written?
Are the pages full of misspelled words and bad
grammar? The facts may be inaccurate as well.
Didn’t they
use a spellchecker???
http://www.infotopia.info
Critical Research Skills
6. When was the Web Page last updated? Look for
dates on the page. A page that hasn’t been updated
may contain outdated information.
Last Updated
June 1, 1985
http://www.infotopia.info
Critical Research Skills
7. Does the site list reliable sources for the information
it provides? Where did the information come from?
My web site doesn’t
need any sources!
http://www.infotopia.info
Good Web Sites…
• A good site will give you a way to check the
information
• A good site will have updated links to other sources
of information on the Web
http://www.infotopia.info
Critical Research Skills
8. Is the site easy to use? Can you go to any place on
the site from one page?
This is so easy
to use!
http://www.infotopia.info
Use these eight critical
research skills….
1) Who sponsors the Web site?
2) Who wrote the material?
3) How much information does the site provide? Is it
complete?
4) Is the information balanced?
http://www.infotopia.info
Use these eight critical
research skills….
5) Is the material well written?
6) When was the Web Page last updated? Is it current?
7) Does the site list reliable sources for the information
it provides?
8) Is the site easy to use?
http://www.infotopia.info
Use these eight research skills…
and you’ll be a successful
Internet user!
http://www.infotopia.info
Presentation by:
• Dr. Michael Bell and Carole Bell,
Librarians/teachers for over 35 years!
• Webmasters and Owners of
•
•
•
•
•
•
www.infotopia.info
www.kidtopia.info
www.teachertopia.info
www.academicindex.net
www.virtualLRC.com
www.javamorning.com
http://www.infotopia.info
Contact us at:
[email protected]
Citations
• Clipart from Microsoft Clip Art Gallery
• Original music produced from Apple’s GarageBand
• It's an Information Jungle Out There! by Carole and
Michael Bell is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0
Unported License.
Based on a work at www.infotopia.info.
Contact us at:
[email protected]
http://www.infotopia.info