Introductory Unit

Evaluating Websites (20 points)

Since anyone can upload a website to the internet, it is important that YOU know what
to look for to make sure the information you are gleaning is relevant to your needs.
This is a skill that is useful in both academia and “real” life. Whether you are writing a
research paper for a class assignment, researching the best guitar to purchase, looking
for information about your pet’s illness, or trying to decide whether to cut animal
products from your diet, you want to know that the information you are getting is the
best the internet has to offer. Do your research!
You will find several methods of evaluating websites. The important things to look for
are author, currency, publisher, purpose, and accuracy.
Take a look at this resource: Website Evaluation Guide. It walks you through the
evaluation process to determine whether a source is credible.
Now, you are going to look at some websites and do some evaluation of your own.
Let’s assume that you are doing research for a class project. For this assignment, it
could be for any class. Your teacher has given you free reign as long as the topic is
school appropriate. What research question would you like to answer?
Need ideas? Check out this list of issues from Issues and Controversies.
Facts On File Issues & Controversies
Username: planoisd Password: discover
(Note: the username and password will change periodically. Contact your teacher if you
cannot access the database.)
1. Research Question:

Should Trump build a wall?

Look for answers to your research question using the search engine of your choice.
Choose two (2) websites to evaluate.
2. Website #1
a. Name of website

The Guardian

Page 1 of 3
 b. Who is the AUTHOR? Does the page list the author's credentials? Is he or she
an expert in the field?

Catherine Slessor (probably not an expert, bc she’s a journalist)

c. Is the source CURRENT? When the page was last updated? Are the links
active and current?

Yes updated august 2019

d. Who is the PUBLISHER? Is there a sponsor or affiliation? Who is linking to the

page? Do they take responsibility for the content?

Publisher is the Guardian

e. What is the PURPOSE of the website? Check the domain. The purpose of a
.org, .gov, or .edu is often different from a .com or .net. What is the goal of
the site? Are there obvious biases?

The purpose of the website is to criticize walls, including Trump’s

walls. There is an mild bias.

f. Is the source ACCURATE? Are the facts documented? Are citations provided?
Are there spelling or grammatical errors on the page?

The source is pretty accurate.

3. Based on the information you provided above, decide whether this source is credible
to use for your class project. Explain your choice.

Maybe credible, depends on the project,

4. Use one of the tools found here to cite your source.

Citation Tools
Slessor, Catherine. “A World of Walls: the Brutish Power of Man-Made Barriers.” The
Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 11 Aug. 2019,
www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2019/aug/11/us-mexico-border-wall-funding-walls-
of-power-arles-calais-hungary-spain.

5. Website #2
a. Name of website

Reason

Page 2 of 3
 b. Who is the AUTHOR? Does the page list the author's credentials? Is he or she
an expert in the field?

David Bier

c. Is the source CURRENT? When was the page last updated? Are the links
active and current?

Kind of current, may 2017

d. Who is the PUBLISHER? Is there a sponsor or affiliation? Who is linking to the

page? Do they take responsibility for the content?

Reason

e. What is the PURPOSE of the website? Check the domain. The purpose of a
.org, .gov, or .edu is often different from a .com or .net. What is the goal of
the site? Are there obvious biases?

To persuade. There is a decently obvious bias

f. Is the source ACCURATE? Are the facts documented? Are citations provided?
Are there spelling or grammatical errors on the page?

Kind of accurate

6. Based on the information you provided above, decide whether this source is credible
to use for your class project. Explain your choice.

Depends

7. Use one of the tools found here to cite your source.

Citation Tools
Bier, David. “Why the Wall Won't Work.” Cato Institute, 10 Apr. 2017,
www.cato.org/publications/commentary/why-wall-wont-work.

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