Todd Rainey
World History (9th Grade)
Finding and Evaluating Open Web Sources
Information literacy topics:
Determining best sources
Searching strategies for information
Evaluating sources
Using technology tools
Objective: To learn to find relevant and reliable open web research sources, to evaluate these sources for reliability, and to use appropriate technology tools.
1. Go to the activity guide online at:
Amity website→High School→AHS Library Information Center
Find Online Stuff→By Subject→History→Class Projects →Rainey→World History→Swing Youth Movement
2. Skim this article:
Look at the organization that published the article:
3. Respond to this statement:
“This article is reliable and appropriate for research. Find at least 3 reasons to show that this is true”.
4. Share reasons why this website is appropriate for research (why the information here can be trusted). Discuss the evaluation criteria.
5. Brainstorm and list various search terms from a topic phrase.
“The swing music youth movement in Hitler’s Nazi Germany as a counterpoint to the Hitler Youth movement.”
Think of key words or recognized phrases specific to the topic
Think of synonyms
Think of the most important terms
Think of terms that might sometimes be too limiting
Use “...” for phrases, ANDs, ORs, and parenthesis to structure search
6. Now do your own search for a reliable research site, identifying the following information on this form to evaluate your sources.
Evaluation Criteria
Who created it? Is this person (or organization) a qualified, reputable, expert? Is she authoritative (reliable)?
What is the information like? Is it accurate, giving complete coverage, well-written, well-organized? Does it cite its sources? Are those sources reliable?
Where is the information from? Where is the site stored? Remember that just having a page stored in a university does not mean the university backs your information.
Why was the information or site created? Was the goal to present information objectively in a balanced way? If it aims to convince, does it address different points of view? Do the presenters have an identifiable political, ideological, or commercial goal that might slant their information?
When was it created? Is it current? (sometimes currency/recent is not important)
Conclusion: reliable for your purpose? YES/NO?
Where do I find this information:
Who -- Look in and follow-up people and organizations in:
About / Contact / “byline” (credits) / bottom of page / sidebars /
What -- Read and analyze content information in:
Titles / Text / Citations and References
Where -- Look in and follow-up on site and organization information in:
About / Contact / URL / Domain name
Why -- Look in and follow-up on author, site, and organization information in:
Text
When -- Look in:
