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Critical Thinking: Evaluating Web Sources


Nathan Hale High School Library

The Internet is a place where anyone and everyone can publish any and all information. Some of this information will be valuable to you and some of the information is misleading and inaccurate. It is essential that we evaluate Internet sources using established criteria. Critical thinking skills help us question every source. Use the following four steps to assist you in evaluating websites.


1. Five Habits of Mind:

  • Viewpoint
  • Evidence
  • Relavance
  • Connection
  • Supposition

    • For more information on critical thinking... Five Habits of Mind



    2. The Bias Rule(Library of Congress)

  • Every piece of evidence and every source must be read or viewed skeptically and critically.
  • No piece of evidence should be taken at face value. The creator's point of view must be considered.
  • Each piece of evidence and source must be cross-checked and compared with related sources and pieces of evidence.



    • 3. Source Selection Tip (based on Harris, 1997):

    Do websites you select have the following?:

    _____ Author's Name
    _____ Author's Title or Position
    _____ Author's Organizational Affiliation
    _____ Date of Page Creation or Version
    _____ Author's Contact Information
    _____ Some Indicators of Quality (see CARS)


    4. Use this checklist to evaluate websites you wish to use. (Harris, 1997)

    Credibility
  • Trustworthy
  • Information about the author
  • Respected authority

    An authoritative source that supplies good evidence that allows you to trust it.

    Rating poor -- 1 --- 2 --- 3 --- 4 --- 5 -- excellent
    • Accuracy
  • Current
  • Factual
  • Detailed
  • Complete

    A source that is correct now and gives you the whole truth.

    Rating poor -- 1 --- 2 --- 3 --- 4 --- 5 --- excellent
    		•
    Reasonable
  • Fair
  • Balanced
  • Objective
  • No conflict of interest

    A source that speaks truthfully and logically.

    Rating poor -- 1 --- 2 --- 3 --- 4 --- 5 --- excellent
    • Support
  • Listed sources
  • Information about contacting the person/place

    A source that offers evidence for what is said; you find two other sources that say basically the same thing.

    Rating poor -- 1 --- 2 --- 3 --- 4 --- 5 --- excellent


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