radcab short
DESCRIPTION
Evaluation of websitesTRANSCRIPT
Hail a R.A.D.C.A.B. A mnemonic acronym for information evaluation
• initials to help remember how to evaluate a website
• Anyone on Internet
• No qualifications
• No one checking it
• Looks may be deceiving
• Not trustworthy, reliable, truthful
Must R.A.D.C.A.B. All Web Sites
• R for Relevancy• A for Appropriateness• D for Detail• C for Currency• A for Authority• B for Bias
A way to grade/evaluate websitesYou are teacher
• Is the information relevant to the question I am asking?
• Can it answer my question or does it have nothing to do with it?
• Am I on the right track or am I wasting my time?
• Is the information suitable to my age and my “core values”, what I know to be right and wrong?
• Will it help me answer my question?
• Does it fill the requirements of my teacher?
• How much information do I need? • Does it cover enough information to answer
many of my questions?• Does the web site offer extra information
with external links, internal search engines, indexes?
• When was the information published?
• When was it last updated?
• Who is the author of the information?
• What are his or her qualifications?
• Why was this information written?
• Was it written to inform me, persuade me, or sell me something?
• Remember you must R.A.D.C.A.B. it!
• Start with R
• Relevancy
Requires websites that answer your questions
• Must form questions that focus on topic
• Use keywords and search phrases to narrow topic
• Don’t type in full question
Different levels of information
Don’t choose too young or too old
You know right from wrong: core values
Judge if information makes you feel confused or uneasy
You can make sure it is appropriate.
• Use databases and teacher-selected web sites for research
• “Police" own Internet activity
• “Arrest" (or suddenly stop) a site if "you don't get it" or "feel uneasy"
• Have "exit strategy" for inappropriate site
• Alert librarian or teacher if uneasy with website
• Quickly scan article for needed information
• Determine if it has enough facts
• Any tables of contents/indexes on web site
• Any external links
• Any interactive and graphic elements
• If there is a date, usually posted at top or bottom of page
• Is having a copyright date important for this website?
• Are external links still current and relevant?
Look for Copyright Date
• Word “author” comes from authority
• With whom is the author affiliated?
• Can you contact the author? How? Where?
• Can you trust this author for accuracy? Why or why not?
• Use online library databases
• Paid subscriptions, reliable, trustworthy
• A personal judgment, opinionLook for:• Web site mission statement• Advertising Type of language:• emotional• sarcastic • opinionated
Domains Give Clues
•URL Domain Names• .com - commercial enterprise• .edu – academic site• .gov – governmental agency• .org – organization, non/profit• .net – network service provider• .mil – military site• ~Name-personal home page
Don't forget to R.A.D.C.A.B.!
For any search engine website• R for Relevancy• A for Appropriateness
•D for Detail
•C for Currency
•A for Authority
•B for Bias
The decision is yours!