CRCB Ch. 14 Evaluating Internet Resources

Chapter fourteen is about evaluating information that is taken off of the web or the internet. The internet has become such a big part of our lives and there such vast amounts of information on it that one must know if it is credible or not. We must use our critical thinking skills every time we surf the internet. This chapter provides us a with a 7-step source evaluation system to help us. Step one is to know your purpose. Before you begin searching the internet, you need to be clear to yourself of exactly why you need the information and for what purpose. Step two is to double check your facts and sources. Step three is to consider the source for reliability and credibility. A credible site will tell you the author’s contact information and more importantly his or her credentials. Step four is to evaluate the look and content of a web-site. Ask yourself what the purpose of the site is. Is it to present information or is it to persuade. The next step is to consider the intended audience. See if the information on the web-site is too elementary or maybe too technical or even too advanced. This can help you determine the intended audience and you may decide it is not for you. The sixth step is to evaluate the writing itself. If you notice bad grammar or many mistakes then you may reconsider the credibility of the source. The seventh and final step is to compare the content with what you already know. By following these steps, we all can evaluate a websites overall reliability and credibility