Hallie Rose

ETEC 424

Dr. Wolfe

14 October, 2020

Identifying Safe Websites

Somewhere along the way in our education, we are taught the importance of using

authentic, safe, and verified websites. Personally, I cannot remember a specific time when I was

taught how to identify a safe website in comparison to an unsafe website. What I do

remember, however, are the websites my classmates and I were told not to use. Wikipedia is

the most prevalent, it seems. After doing further research, Wikipedia is a safe website in

comparison to many others. Today, when technology is ever-changing and never-ceasing to

accompany education, it is important that students know which websites can be relied on for

truthful, helpful information and which cannot.

On a basic level of determining whether websites are safe, students can begin by

looking at the URL of the page. One of the first things a student can look for is the lock icon in

the URL window. Whether on the left side or right side, this icon is a symbol that lets students

know the website they are accessing is secure. A big determiner is at the beginning of a URL

with the “https.” “Many URLs begin with ‘https’ instead of just ‘http’ to indicate that they are

encrypted” (Tammany 2018). Next, students can read through the URL and find if it is spelled

correctly. Misspellings are a red flag and are good indicators of an unsafe website. Another

basic trick that is not as well-known is the right-click test on a URL. “Right-clicking a hyperlink

and selecting “Properties” will reveal the true destination of the link. Does it look different from
what it claimed to lead you to” (Boston)? Even with all of these tips, the most basic tool for

students is to use their common sense. Sadly, not all students have common sense, so it’s

important to provide more information to ensure the success of all students.

When the basic levels of tips aren’t enough for determining the safety of websites, the

CRAAP test comes in to help. This test encourages students to look more deeply into the

websites and information they are accessing in order to determine the safety and quality.

CRAAP, being an acronym, stands for currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose.

The currency section leads students to ask questions such as, when was the information

published, when was it updated, and is it up-to-date? Relevance has students ask questions

that relate to the importance of the information based on their personal needs. It guides them

to ask questions such as, does the information relate to their topic, who is the information

meant for, would the source work for a research paper, and “is the information at an

appropriate level (i.e. not too elementary or advanced for your needs)”(Kurpiel 2020)?

Authority leads students to question the source of the information by investigating the author,

author’s credentials, organizational affiliations, qualifications, and contact information. This is

also the section where students are urged to look at the endings of URLs. Trusted endings

include .org, .gov, .net, .edu, or .com. The reliability and validity of the information is

questioned with the second A which stands for accuracy. Students should ask questions such as,

where did the information originate from, can it be proven with evidence, are there reviews,

are there biases in the information, and is it free of grammatical and spelling errors? Lastly,

purpose focuses on “the reason the information exists”(djfaij). Students should ask what the
purpose of the information is, what the intentions are, whether it is fact or opinion, and

whether biases of any kind exist.

Technology is always going to be a part of the classroom; it is too beneficial in the

process of instruction and learning to attempt to move to away from its use. Though there are

many benefits, technology can be tricky if not understood fully. It is too easy to access unsafe

content from the internet, to welcome viruses and bugs onto a device, and to trust

untrustworthy cites. This is why it is increasingly important to teach students how to identify

safe websites. When they know the signs of an unsafe site, they are more likely to avoid

unwanted consequences of using the internet. Whether it be using the CRAAP test or

memorizing a handful of simple tips to look out for, ensuring that students are educated on

website safety is important for their success.

 Works Cited

Boston University. (n.d.). How to Identify and Protect Yourself from an Unsafe Website. Boston

University Information Services and Technology. Retrieved from

https://www.bu.edu/tech/support/information-security/security-for-everyone/how-to-

identify-and-protect-yourself-from-an-unsafe-website/

Kurpiel, S. (2020, August). Evaluating Sources: The CRAAP Test. Benedictine University.

Retrieved from https://researchguides.ben.edu/source-evaluation

Tammany, Joyce. (2018, August 24). How can I tell if a website is safe? Look for these 5 signs.

SightLock. Retrieved from https://www.sitelock.com/blog/is-this-website-safe/