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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Evaluating Web Sites

For Teachers 8th - Higher Ed
Students examine how to evaluate a website. They discuss a graphic organizer, conduct Internet research, and apply a checklist of criteria to various websites.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Biosecurity Keeps Everyone Safe

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students evaluate websites and determine whether they are valid or invalid resources regarding the topic of infectious diseases and animals. They explore a variety of websites, write a research paper about biosafety, and complete a...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ethics WebQuest

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars examine the topics of copyright and fair use, plagiarism, and evaluating websites for content. They conduct Internet research, evaluate a variety of websites for authenticity, and write about and define plagiarism and...
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Primary
National Archives (UK)

The National Archives: Focus on Film

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Should students believe everything they see on tv? The National Archives provides this resource for students to examine cinemas as an accurate source of history. Links to archived videos and activities are provided. RI.11-12.7 Eval...
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Rubric
Georgia Department of Education

Ga Virtual Learning: Web Site Evaluation Rubric [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This is a two-page PDF of a rubric to use in the evaluation of websites in the quest for credible websites for research purposes. RI.11-12.7 Eval Different Media/format
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Handout
Other

Monash University Library: Evaluating Web Pages

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Use this guide to learn how to evaluate web pages. This concise guide also addresses why evaluation is important. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.7
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Lesson Plan
ReadWriteThink

Read Write Think: Research Building Blocks: Examining Electronic Sources

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
This lesson helps elementary students identify the important components of web site evaluation. It includes a website evaluation question sheet.
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Lesson Plan
Stanford University

Sheg: Document Based History: Reading Like a Historian: Evaluating Sources

For Teachers 9th - 10th Standards
[Free Registration/Login Required] Are all historical sources equally trustworthy? How might the reliability of a historical document be affected by the circumstances under which it was created? In this activity, students sharpen their...
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Unit Plan
Georgia Department of Education

Ga Virtual Learning: Nonfiction and Reseach: "Choosing Nonfiction Sources" [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This is the 20-page PDF "Choosing Nonfiction Sources." It provides informatation about various types of nonfiction: primary and secondary sources, reference works, databases, newspapers and periodicals, and nonfiction books; it also...
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Activity
Virtual Salt

Virtual Salt: Evaluating Internet Research Resources

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This site by Virtual Salt offers a great deal of information on evaluating internet sources. Gives tips on what to look for when screening information for usefulness and reliability.
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Article
Other

Babson College: Evaluating Quality on the Net

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Internet research is a fine writing tool, but can you trust the information you find? This presentation by Hope N. Tillman, Director of Libraries at Babson College, gives advice on assessing the quality and credibility of information...
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Handout
University of California

Uc Berkeley Library: Critical Evaluation of Resources

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Questions to ask yourself when determining if a source is reliable. Discusses difference between primary and secondary source. List of reference sources and links to other sites that teach you how to evaluate sources....
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Unit Plan
Texas Education Agency

Texas Gateway: Determining Validity and Reliability of Sources

For Students 10th - 12th Standards
This lesson will help students decide which sources are valid and reliable for supporting a thesis. It discusses how to evaluate books, articles, websites, and more.
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Unit Plan
Texas Education Agency

Texas Gateway: Analysis of Relative Values of Specific Data, Facts, and Ideas

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
[Accessible by TX Educators. Free Registration/Login Required] In this lesson, students can practice finding specific types of sources and learn the questions to ask when evaluating information for a persuasive essay.
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Unit Plan
Texas Education Agency

Texas Gateway: Analyze an Argument: Practice 1 (English I Reading)

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
In this lesson, students practice analyzing the evidence that supports or opposes an argument. They are also going to learn to analyze the quality, relevance, and credibility of the evidence so you can decide whether to accept the...
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Unit Plan
Texas Education Agency

Texas Gateway: Drawing Conclusions on the Sufficiency and Strength of Research

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
The activities in this lesson will help you focus on the important features of arguments, especially on the writer (or the source) and the evidence the writer provides. That way, you can more accurately decide if an argument is valid and...
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Unit Plan
Texas Education Agency

Texas Gateway: Analysis of Relative Values of Specific Data, Facts, and Ideas

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
[Accessible by TX Educators. Free Registration/Login Required] This lesson focuses on analyzing and evaluating the value of the sources used for evidence in a research project.
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Unit Plan
Texas Education Agency

Texas Gateway: Gathering Appropriate Information (English Iii Writing)

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
[Accessible by TX Educators. Free Registration/Login Required] This lesson focuses on finding and evaluating relevant sources for a research project. It includes primary and secondary sources and print and internet sources. W.11-12.2...
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Unit Plan
Texas Education Agency

Texas Gateway: Analyze the Relevance, Quality, and Credibility of Evidence

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
[Accessible by TX Educators. Free Registration/Login Required] In this lesson, students will learn to analyze the quality, relevance, and credibility of evidence used to support an argument.
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Unit Plan
Department of Defense

Do Dea: Discovery and Attribution

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
The research process can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming! After you complete this self-guided unit, you will be well prepared to write a research paper. You will learn how to choose a topic, evaluate the reliability...
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Unit Plan
Other

Intute Virtual Training Suite: Internet Detective: Wise Up to the Web

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Focused on using the internet for college-level research, this valuable site is visually attractive and well-organized, and includes a number of interactive features.
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Handout
Lumen Learning

Lumen: Building Credibility Through Source Integration

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
Well-integrated sources build credibility in several ways: Source material adds evidence and support to your argument, the signal phrase highlights the reputation and qualifications of the source, and effective citation makes it easy for...
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Handout
Online Writing Lab at Purdue University

Purdue University Owl: Evaluating Sources: General Guidelines

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This entry focuses on evaluating your sources while reading them, giving suggestions on what to look for when reading.
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Unit Plan
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: News and Media Literacy

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
This collection, which includes videos, blog articles, student handouts, lesson plans, and tip sheets for families, helps students identify, analyze, and investigate the news and information they get from online sources. Media literacy...