New Visions Charter High School for the Humanities II (HUM): Bully Resources

Slant – What is the Slant (viewpoint) of the website?

˜ Is the information unbiased and free from prejudice without promoting a specific personal, political, religious, and or ideological viewpoint?

˜ Is the purpose of the page stated? Is the message clearly stated?

• Is the purpose to: inform? teach? demonstrate?
• Is the purpose to: entertain? sell? persuade?

˜ Are there editorials and if so are the editorials clearly labeled?

˜  Is advertising content vs. informational content easily distinguishable?

˜  Are both sides of a controversial issue presented?

Topical & Timely – Is the Website up-to-date? Is the material relevant to the topic?

˜ When was the information gathered/created? Is the material up-to-date?

• Is the information provided the type of information that dates quickly (e.g. statistics, technological information, etc.)?
• Is this a first edition or not? Further editions indicate a source has been revised and updated to reflect changes in knowledge, include new information.

˜ When was the information posted?

˜ When was the website revised last? (check for a date at the bottom of the page)

˜ Is there evidence of newly added information or links?

˜ Are the links functional and up-to-date, reflecting current information?

Authority – Who is the authority or expert associated with the website?

˜  Can you tell who is the author / creator / sponsor?

˜  Are the creator’s credentials listed?

• Is the creator a teacher/expert in the field or student of the topic?
• Does the creator have a credible reputation?
• Is the creator affiliated with an organization, corporation, government agency, university etc.?

˜  Is there contact information, such as a phone number, e-mail address etc.?

˜  Has the creator published works in traditional formats such as books or journal articles?

˜  Is the website supported or sponsored by an organization?

• Is the author affiliated with this organization?
• Is there advertising for the organization on the web page?
• What does the domain name/URL reveal about the source of the information, if anything? (e.g. .com .edu .gov .org .net

Accuracy – What is the reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the information on the website?

˜  Where does the information come from?

• Are references / citations provided?
• Are the original sources of information listed?
• Can you verify any of the information in independent sources or from your own knowledge?

˜  Has the information been reviewed or refereed by experts in the field?

˜  Does the language or tone seem biased?

˜  Is the webpage complete or is it missing information/pages?

Relevance – Does the content of the website have direct bearing on the topic? Is it pertinent? How well does it answer the research question?

 ˜  What is the scope of the information? Is the page extremely specific or very broad?

• Does the information contain the breadth and depth needed?

• Will this information be useful to the project?

˜  Is the information written in a form that is useable?

• Who is the intended audience? (i.e. reading level, technical level)
• Is the information in a useful format such as words, pictures, charts, sounds, or video?

˜  Is the information unique? Do the facts contribute something new or add to your knowledge of the subject?

˜  Is the information available elsewhere, such as in print or electronic format? Journal article, book etc.?

˜  Could you find the same or better information in another source? Sometimes the first result is not the best?

˜  Are there spelling, grammar, or other typos?