Tools+for+evaluating+information

toc

Evaluating Information

 * Before you start looking for information, try this reliability tutorial **
 * To improve your skills, try this check your sources tutorial**

When you are searching for information on the internet you need to be aware that anyone can set up a website and put information on the Internet. Some sites are trustworthy and factual, but others are trying to sell things or to persuade you to their point of view, and some are dishonest or trying to cheat or con you.

How can you tell which sites to trust?
media type="youtube" key="fXFbQKz3anw?version=3" height="344" width="425"

media type="custom" key="18747742" width="120" height="120"

media type="custom" key="24860140" width="120" height="120" media type="custom" key="24860210" width="130" height="130"

Who produced the site? Authority
Some sites include a page **About us** which you can use to find out about the author. Most sites provide contact details for the author. If you can't find any information about the author, should you trust the site?
 * To improve your ability to identify the author, go to Author Challenge.**

** What is the site for? Purpose **
Is the site for information, advice, selling something, promoting something? Can you work out what the purpose of the site is? Does the purpose make a difference to the accuracy of the information? Some sites are obviously biased like advertisements or campaigning or political sites. Is the information fact or opinion? To find out if facts are accurate, check other sites for the information. If several sites agree, then the information is likely to be true.
 * Quick reference on Fact Checking**
 * Quick reference on Fact Checking by using other sites.**
 * Quick Reference on Bias**


 * To improve your ability to spot bias, go to Bias challenge**
 * To test your ablity to spot inaccurate information try the Accuracy Challenge.**


 * To improve your ability to spot opinion, try the Reading the media tutorial or this Issues and sources tutorial.**

When was the site updated? Currency
Are there dates on the site? When was it updated last? Have a look for the copyright date. Does it matter if the information in not up-to-date? Quick Reference on Freshness 
 * To improve your ability to find the date, go to Date Challenge.**

Where has the information come from?
Look at the **URL** (UniformResource Locator) e.g. //http://www.doon.e-ayr.sch.uk//
 * http**=hypertext transfer protocol **www**=world wide web **doon**=name of site **e-ayr**=part of name or location **sch.uk**=domain name


 * ~ Domain Name ||~  ||
 * < .com or .co.uk ||< commercial or business site ||
 * < .gov ||< government ||
 * < .org ||< organisation ||
 * < .ac or .edu ||< university or college ||
 * < .net ||< open to anyone ||
 * .biz || business ||
 * .info || information - open to all ||

Link:
A good way of checking the authority of a website is to see who has linked to it. Do this by putting //Link: http://...// into a search engine. The space between Link: and the address is crucial. Or you can go to Advanced Search and find Links to.
 * Click here for more on Links**
 * Quick Reference Backlinks**
 * [|How to spot a fake website]**
 * To see who has linked to a site, try Backlinkwatch.**
 * To improve your skills, go to Links to Challenge.**



Why should you use this site? Suitability
Why choose a site to help you with your research? A good site should be :
 * easy to use
 * easy to read
 * easy to understand
 * easy to move around

Does the site answer your questions? Can you understand the information on the site? Are there helpful pictures, maps, diagrams etc?
 * If not, then try Sweetsearch or Kidrex for simpler sites.**
 * To improve your ability to spot unsuitable sites, try Quick Reference Red Flags.**


 * To check out suspect sites or possible hoaxes go to [|Snopes]Urban legends and Museum of Hoaxes.**


 * Use this evaluation wizard to decide if a site is safe to use.**


 * or you can use this [[file:Website Evaluation Checklist2014.doc|Website evaluation checklist]] to decide if a site is suitable.**



Wikipedia

 * Watch a video on [|how Wikipedia works]**

 media type="custom" key="21675366"
 * If you are using Wikipedia you need to be aware of how to get the best out of it. **

Evaluation Challenges
Here are some real time challenges to improve your evaluation skills
 * Transformer Challenge**
 * Tibet Challenge**
 * Cell Phone Challenge**
 * Bad Apple Challenges - read the instructions very carefully**

Once you have evaluated your information, you need to move on to Tools for organising information.