Evaluating Websites
This page complements the Term 2 Yr 7 Library lessons at Riverside Girls.
Spokespersons from Google and Bing explain how the internet finds your information. Important - the top results are the most popular results (ie they have the most links!), not the most relevance!
"Search engines even use information you haven't explicitly provided to help you narrow down your search." This refers to the fact that the algorithms that controls your results are permanently looking at what you do online and judging your interests and opinions. This is called data harvesting. They then use this information to give you MORE OF THE SAME. This means that the internet will almost NEVER GIVE A RANGE of viewpoints, unlike a library bookshelf where different opinions about the same things can be found side by side on a shelf.
In addition, harvested data about internet users is bought and sold online without your specific authorisation, so never give any more details about yourself than you must and clear your cookies often to maintain a degree of privacy.
Online Accuracy
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/ideas/videos/five-simple-ways-to-sharpen-your-critical-thinking/p0929tns
Trip Advisor's #1 London Restaurant
In 2017, Oobah Butler's restaurant, The Shed, became the top London restaurant on Trip Advisor. Neither trained in Hospitality nor in Business, he later revealed the secrets behind this extraordinary success.You can read about this in:
What does Oobah Bulter's story reveal about:
(a) our belief in exclusivity and popularity
(b) the way we use media
This interview on Good Morning Britain gives an overview of what happened, with quite alot of judgement from the hosts, but do read his article to understand his aims and how he went about it. You might also wish listen to Oobah Butler's description of how he set up the restaurant and the customers' reactions here, if you don't mind his occasional foul language.
- The Shed's Facebook page
- The Conversation
- Oobah Butler's article on Vice.com
What does Oobah Bulter's story reveal about:
(a) our belief in exclusivity and popularity
(b) the way we use media
This interview on Good Morning Britain gives an overview of what happened, with quite alot of judgement from the hosts, but do read his article to understand his aims and how he went about it. You might also wish listen to Oobah Butler's description of how he set up the restaurant and the customers' reactions here, if you don't mind his occasional foul language.
The CRAAP Test
So how can you tell what's credible? Or reliable? Or trustworthy? Try this simple test.
Oregon School Library Services: Evaluating Websites
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Alfred G Waters Library: How to Evaluate Websites
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Portland State University: Drugs in sport CRAAP Test Demo
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Schmoop: How to know if a source is reliable
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CRAAP Test Song
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University of British Columbia: Internet Skills (Uses KAPOW instead of CRAAP, but has good examples of analylis)
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Homework1. Use The CRAAP Test Worksheet to analyse a website that interests you. Try to choose one that has lots to say about each part of CRAAP, so you have lots of things to write in your review.
2. Then write a review of the website based on your CRAAP observations. It should have information about:
You will need to submit this work by the end of your next lesson (or by the end of term) |
About the websites we used in class
Feline Reactions to Bearded Men - purpose [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB60cBsPfng], slideshare questions its credibility [https://www.slideshare.net/NicoleRyan007/feline-reactions-to-bearded-men-14373991] slideshare assumed its credibility
Other materials about CRAAP for teachers
CCBC Library http://libraryguides.ccbcmd.edu/evaluate-it/craap] has lots of links to videos, worksheets and graphics about information literacy