Determining credibility
The following handouts are given out to students at the beginning of the year, and added to the classroom resources section of the student notebook. They will also be posted on the class website.
Digital Tools in Ms. Wilson’s English Classes
During the course of the year in English class, you will be utilizing the Internet in all sorts of ways.
Determining Reliability and Credibility in Internet Research
At the high school level, it is important to not only cite your sources, but also to make sure they are reliable sources of information. To determine the reliability of a website, you need to decide if it is C.R.A.A.P.
During the course of the year in English class, you will be utilizing the Internet in all sorts of ways.
- InfoTrek.info Search Engine: I know you think you understand Google, but there are much better, more reliable sources for information out there. InfoTrek is geared toward high school students and is the search engine you will use for research.
- Google Docs: For writing individually and to collaborate with your peers
- Google Slides: For making presentations individually and collaboratively
- Google Classroom: For online announcements and assignments. This is our primary classroom work management system
- Gmail: Your district email is the only email account that I will use for communication
- YouTube: I will assign you video homework often through Google Classroom that you will watch on YouTube … there will also be opportunities for you to upload your projects to YouTube.
- And that’s just the tip of the iceberg … Actively Learn, Shmoop, TEDEd, Animoto, Prezi, and so many more!
Determining Reliability and Credibility in Internet Research
At the high school level, it is important to not only cite your sources, but also to make sure they are reliable sources of information. To determine the reliability of a website, you need to decide if it is C.R.A.A.P.
- C = Currency: How current is the website? When was the last time it was updated? Updating lets you know that there is a living, breathing person behind the information who cares that the site is active.
- R = Relevance: Does this website match up with what you are looking for? Is it written at the correct level? Think like Goldilocks: Is it too low, too high, or just right?
- A = Authority: Who wrote the content of the website? What credentials does the author have in this area? It is important that people who are experts in their field generate the information you use for research. Scan through the site to locate any information you can about the author or publisher. If you cannot find any information, it’s time to look for a different site.
- A = Accuracy: After you have spent time searching for the perfect source for your project, the last thing you want is to include inaccurate information. Check the facts of any site by looking on other sites to see if the same information is present. Also, look to see if the publisher of the site is demonstrating any bias. While it is acceptable to use these sites, it is important identify the author’s bias.
- P = Purpose: Just as the project or paper you write has a purpose, so too do the websites you read. Rarely does someone take the time to write an entire website just for fun. Stop and consider the purpose the information is being presented, and then what biases might be present. Again, bias isn’t necessarily a bad thing, you just need to recognize it is there.