Day 1: How to Evaluate Web Site || Day 2: Practice Evaluating Web Sites

Day 3: Learning About Search Engines

Day 1: How to Evaluate a Web Site

You will be visiting a web site that will help you learn how to evaluate information you find on the Internet. It uses imaginary examples, quizzes and puzzles so you can explore the concepts around information quality.

Why are these information skills important to learn?

• The sheer volume of information available on the Internet can be overwhelming. New skills need to be learned in order to make sense of this.
• There are very few control mechanisms on the Internet, allowing anyone to publish anything. This means that as well as finding useful information you will also find information that is irrelevant, dubious or even sometimes dangerous.
• Because the medium is relatively new and changing all the time, it is easy to assume that the information itself is also new, but of course this is not always the case.
• As with other forms of information, there may be inherent bias or advertisements masquerading as information. This is not necessarily wrong, but it is important to be aware of it.

Steps to follow:

1. Go to the QUICK site.
2. Print out this worksheet, if you don't already have it.
3. Begin with item # 1 and read through the 8 ways of checking information on web sites. Be sure to click on the example and question links as you go through the pages.
4. Answer the questions on your worksheet.
5. At the bottom of #8, click on Quick Quiz and see how you do.

Day 2: Evaluating Web Sites

Now that you've learned a bit about what to look for when you're searching for reliable information on the Internet, you are going to test your evaluation skills.

Steps to Follow:

1. Print out this evaluation guide, if you don't already have it.
2. Choose two of the sites below to visit. Pick one from Group A and one from Group B.
3. Complete an evaluation guide for each site.
4. When you're finished, you can visit more sites that you're interested in if you have time.

Web Sites to Evaluate:

GROUP A

• Save the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus - Although not officially on the Endangered Species list, the rare Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus's numbers are dwindling. Read about this fascinating creature and learn how you can help to save it before it becomes extinct.
• The British Stick Insect Foundation - Learn about the history, feeding, and training of these curious little Phasmidae or Stick Insects.
• Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanie - Discover how you can can shield your brain from most electromagnetic psychotronic mind control carriers by creating this inexpensive AFDB.
• History of the Fisher-Price Airplane - Find out about the Fisher-Price Airplane, a relic from the 1970s, and a rare example of a Soviet design that was adopted by Western airlines.
• The Jack-a-Lope Conspiracy - Read all about the the Jackalope (Lepus-temperamentalus), one of the rarest animals in the world. A cross between an extinct pygmy-deer and a species of killer-rabbit, they are extremely shy unless approached.
• Strawberry Pop-Tart Blow Torches - Read a study of how pop-tarts can be used as incendiary devices.
• Boilerplate: Mechanical Marvel of the 19th Century - Learn all about Boilerplate, a mechanical man developed by Professor Archibald Campion during the 1880s and unveiled at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition.

GROUP B

• The History of Skateboarding - Read about how the sport of skateboarding got started and about great moments in skateboarding history.
• Bigfoot in Texas - People continue to try to determine whether Big Foot exists. Read this article that tries to separate myth from reality.
• MonoTracer - Thinking about owning a motorcycle someday, but don't want to ride it in the rain? Take a look at the MonoTracer that combines the excitement of riding a motorcycle with the comforts of car travel.
• "Bionic" Eye Restores Sight after Three Decades of Darkness - Learn about how a new "fake" eye implant can actually help the blind see again.
• Nine Year Old Writes iPhone Code - Learn about how this nine-year-old Malaysian boy in Singapore wrote a painting application for the Apple iPhone.
• Proof of Life? - Discover how a photo taken on Mars might be evidence that life once existed there.
• Invasion of Squid Along the California Coast - It may seem like something out of a horror movie, but giant squid have invaded key fishing areas in the Pacific, gobbling up everything they can find.
• Harry Potter is Still Magical - Harry Potter: The Exhibition will offer fans a first-hand look inside the boy-wizard's magical world and the opportunity to experience the craftsmanship of more than 200 authentic costumes and props from the Harry Potter films.

Day 3: Learning About Search Engines

Now that you've learned about how to assess the information you find on line, it's time to figure out some strategies for finding exactly what you need from the mass of information out there. In this section, you'll learn about how search engines work, the various types of search engines out there, how to perform an effective search, and how to cite the sources you find.

Steps to follow:

1. If you don't already have it, get a copy of the Wading through the Web hand-out.
2. You are going to be working your way through a powerpoint presentation, visiting sites on the web, and answering questions on your hand-out. Be patient while the presentation loads. If you can't get the slide show to work on this web page, you can try to view it online at Slideshare, or as a web page or as a PDF file.
3. You might want to view this full size and have two windows open side-by-side. One window for the presentation; another window for your web searches.

Mail to karen @ mrshatzi.com

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