Transcript C Does the Site COVER Everything?

WEB LITERACY
What is true online and how do you know?
State Farm Commercial
TEST Your Knowledge…
• For each question, explain where you would
expect to find reliable information.
• Note: Google is a search engine, not a
website, so Google is not the answer to any
of these questions.
• Of course, you would use a search engine, but
the questions ask you what kinds of sites
would probably have good information.
Beginning Vocabulary…
• Internet:
– A world wide interconnection of computer systems that
are able to communicate with each other
• Internet Browser:
– Software your computer uses to communicate with the
Internet
• Search Engines:
– site on the World Wide Web that uses software to locate
keywords in other sites
• ISP: Internet Service Provider
• Web hosting
• URL (Uniform Resource Locators)
– internet addresses that you see on top of your web
browser
Anatomy of a URL
Which Domains are Most Reliable?
Reliability of Domain Name
Extensions
• Anyone can purchase a .com, .net, .org
• .gov, .edu, and .mil are usually reliable
• Country Codes: .us, .uk, .de
Which Domains are Most Reliable?
• Government Web sites have the most reliable info in the United States (All
U.S. federal government Web domain names end in .gov, along with some
state sites; all U.S. military sites end in .mil.
• University studies—especially peer-reviewed ones--are the next most
reliable. (University Web sites end in .edu. But be careful! Students post
Web sites with .edu endings, too, because universities give them free
server space. A tip-off of such a personal Web page posting is the tilda ~ in
the URL.)
• Special-interest groups, many which post pages ending in .org, often post
good information. But remember: many groups are biased. They have an
agenda. And remember that although .org URLs were intended for
nonprofits, commercial companies or individuals can buy sites ending in
.org, too.
• Other types of pages should be eyed with a reporter's caution. This goes
for commercial sites ending in .com, .net and now .biz, and any personal
home pages (such as those now ending in .name). However, most U.S.
news sites end in .com, and their Web information is generally as reliable
as that published in their more traditional print or broadcast sister
publications.
How Can We Customize Our Search?
Be specific!
Many people type one or two keywords and just take whatever
comes up first in Google. This is a poor search strategy. What
comes up first can vary from minute to minute!
Instead, try to type a string of words, including “” for exact
phrases, to try to get to precisely what you are looking for.
For example, instead of just searching <<Thermodynamics>>,
try
<<“Second Law of Thermodynamics” simple explanation
video>>
How Can We Customize Our Search?
• Boolean Operator - symbol or word used in
computer programs and searches to show what
is or is not included
•
•
•
•
•
AND or +: requires all terms in any order
NOT or –: excludes records with specified term
“ ”: requires all terms in order specified
OR: requires at least one of the terms
WITH: requires the terms in the same sentence
•
www.google.com
(Close the pop-up window when you are done
ABC’s of Web Literacy
The ABC’s of Web Literacy
• Author/Authority
• Accuracy
• Bias
• Currency
• Coverage
Credibility of the AUTHOR
• Who is the author? Do they know what
they are talking about? How can you tell?
Go to ihr.org
Look at the home page. How
does it look?
Go to the About page.
Click on the info about the
founder.
Then, Google “Mark Weber”
Who is he really?
What is ACCURATE?
• Accuracy: It is important to determine
the accuracy of information on the web.
• How can we do that?
•
•
•
Can you verify the information the author
uses?
Does the document rely on other sources
cited?
If it's original research, is the methodology
or the way the data was gathered clearly
explained?
Let’s Evaluate the AUTHOR & ACCURACY
• What is a WIKI?
– A page that anyone can make changes to
– Wikipedia – is an attempt at an encyclopedia constructed as a
“wiki” model
• Should we trust Wikipedia?
– Wikipedia entries are written by volunteers of all ages and
backgrounds
– Difficult to determine who is responsible for what information
– It’s a good starting point, but it is not allowed as a citable source
at Northern Highlands.
Let’s Check it out - http://www.wikipedia.org/
Is the site reliable?
Bias: Does the author show favor of or against one thing,
person or group?
• Do Now: Use the Internet to provide answers to the
following. Note the site you are using and why you think it
is an accurate one.
– How I can lose 10 pounds QUICKLY!!!
– Should marijuana be legalized in NJ?
• What made you think the sites you found were reliable or
not?
• Three steps to analyzing web page Bias:
1. Is the site trying to sell you a product, service, or idea?
2. Is information on the site documented with
references?
3. Is the information balanced?
Is the Information Relevant Anymore?
• Currency: What is the date on the
website or article you are looking at?
• http://www.wikipedia.org/ - History
• For what information is currency
important?
• How old is the information you are looking
at?
• Is it current?
• Is it frequently updated?
Does the Site COVER Everything?
Coverage: how complete is the
information on the website found
• Do Now – let’s put a do now in that can help
students assess what is on the next slide…
Does the Site COVER Everything?
• Do Now
Why is the Sky Blue?
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astro
nomy/planets/earth/Skyblue.shtml
http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/blue-sky/
http://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/climateweather/atmospheric/sky.htm
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/light/u12l2
f.cfm
Does the Site COVER Everything?
Coverage: how complete is the
information on the website found
• Levels of Information - audience level
• Depth – not always is a 2 page website
enough
• Breadth – not all sites COVER everything
• Does the site COVER all the ABC’s?
Does the Site COVER Everything?
Creating Your Own RUBRIC
CLASSWORK:
• All students should get into groups/pairs and develop
a RUBRIC (list of criteria/questions) for a seventh
grader, questions everyone should ask when
evaluating whether a website is reliable or unreliable.
• Base it on what you have learned in this lesson—ABCs
of Web Literacy.
• Create your RUBRIC in Word – make sure it looks
professional and is easy to use for a middle-schooler.
HOMEWORK:
– Once RUBRIC is created, all students will use their
RUBRIC to critique two websites – one reliable and one
unreliable.