Learn It
By now, you likely know how to open a search engine and type in a search query, or topic. It is another skill, however, to be able to evaluate a website you use to determine if it is a reliable source of information. In this module, you will learn how to evaluate a website as you work through a research task.
Before we learn how to evaluate a website as a reliable source of information, let’s take a look at our research topic.
Research Topic
In order to help you understand the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, it is important to understand some of the cultural aspects of the work. One in particular is the importance of the kola nut in the Nigerian Igbo culture.
Your research task is to research and learn about the importance of the kola nut, using reliable web sources, and then create a multimedia presentation that demonstrates what you have learned. Your research presentation will answer the question:
Why is the kola nut important to the Igbo tribe and how is it used in their culture?
It is easy for anyone to create and post websites on the Internet. There are several characteristics to look for when you evaluate a website. We will refer to this as E.A.T., which stands for Expertise, Authority and Trustworthiness. Looking for these three qualities will help you decide if a website is a good source of information.
Examine each quality below, as well as strategies for evaluating a website.
In order to determine whether or not your Internet source has good E.A.T., you may have to do some investigating.
Additional Strategies
Popular Doesn’t Always Mean the Most Reliable
The first search result in a query is not always the best result. Make sure to scroll through the results to find what is best for your search criteria.
Digging Deeper - Evaluating the Source
Look for the author of the article you are reading. Sometimes you can click on the name and find information regarding the background and expertise of the writer. Use the About Us tab to learn who created the website and why. You may need to navigate back to the home page to find basic information or look at the bottom of the page. Keep in mind to use sites that have established reputations as good sources of information such as those ending in .gov or .edu.
No Source Information Available?
If you cannot find information after searching through a website that will help you determine the E.A.T., consider using a different source that has reliable information you can trust.
Supplemental Resources
For additional information about how to determine the reliability of a website, visit Web Smarts: Learn when to trust a website and when to avoid itopens in new window.
