Teaching students to evaluate websites for credibility

When addressing the issue of finding credible articles on the web there are a few guidelines that I will emphasize to my students. First, using common sense and logical thinking will help to differentiate between truthful and fanciful websites. For example, a website about "saving the north pacific tree octopus" can be discredited by using common knowledge that such an animal does not exist. If students are still questionable about the validity of a certain site, such as this one, they can attempt to research the topic further to find any other sources that provide similar information.

Providing students with information about internet addresses will also help them weed out mythical sources. Websites with ".org, .gov, and .edu" usually tend to be more credible since they are sponsored by researchers and policy makers. Students can trust that these sites have been checked for accuracy and can still research the topic further by checking other websites if they are unsure.

When reviewing a few websites that were unreliable and untrue, I noticed that many advertisements and links appear on the page. Students can use this information to find sources that may be less than credible. If an abundance of advertisements and links to other websites are found on a website students can recognize this as a red flag.

Another aspect that I noticed regarding websites that convey false information is the frequency of grammar and spelling mistakes. If students locate many of these errors it is a clue that the website was created by someone who did not take the time to organize a well written and accurate source of information. I question the credibility of someone who takes the time to create a website that presents factual information, but does not take the time to correct errors and use professional language.

Determining the credibility of a website can be a difficult process even for adults. If I had not been informed that the websites that I visited to research this topic were false, there is a chance I might have perceived one or two of them as true. It is important that educators inform students that the internet is a fantastic source for locating useful and important information. However, the internet is also a place where anyone can create websites and sources. Therefore, discression must be used when relying on a specific website for facts. Students should be aware that they might be confronted with opinions, stories, and complete lies when searching the web. When given guidelines by teachers to weed out such information the students will be more successful internet surfers.