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Rocky Hill Country Day School Library: Evaluating Online Sources

Welcome

Welcome to the

EVALUATING ONLINE SOURCES PAGE

On this page you will find videos, websites, articles, databases, and infographics that can help you evaluate the information you find online. In a world that is saturated with MISINFORMATION and DISINFORMATION, it is more important than ever to evaluate sources. Online sources should be evaluated for CREDIBILITY, ACCURACY, and BIAS.

REMEMBER...

When you encounter information online, start by asking yourself these two questions:

1. Who is the creator of the information?

2. What is the intent of the message?

To dig deeper, check out the other resources on this page.

 

Words to Know

DEFINITIONS

Sources: Dictionary.com, freethesaurus.com

  • accuracy (noun) The condition or quality of being true, correct or exact; freedom from error or defect
  • bias (noun) prejudice; consciously or subconsciously favoring one person or point of view more than others
  • credibility (noun) The trustworthiness or reliability of something
  • disinformation (noun) deliberately misleading or biased information; manipulated narrative or facts; propaganda
  • misinformation (noun) false information that is spread, regardless of whether there is intent to mislead

Resources

Read these articles to learn some tips for evaluating online sources for credibility, reliability, and bias.

Check out the Crash Course Navigating Digital Information series featuring Y.A. author John Green. In these short, entertaining videos, Green teaches important skills like fact checking, lateral reading, evaluating photos and videos, and when to use Wikipedia. 

Use these fact checking websites when you want to assess the accuracy of online information.

The Points of View Reference Center Database provides information about controversial issues. For each issue, you will find an overview, and argument, and a counterargument and information gathered from political magazines, newspapers, media transcripts, primary source documents, and reference books that you can use to evaluate accuracy, reliability, and bias in the information you find online. Check out the database tutorial video below the link if this is your first time using Points of View.

Get Involved

Do you like fact checking? Are you concerned about the amount of misinformation and disinformation circulating on the internet? You CAN make a difference! Check out the link below to learn how you can become a member of the MediaWise Teen Fact-Checking Network.

Evaluating Online Resources 60-Second Guide

Follow the steps in this infographic to conduct a 60-second evaluation of information you find online. If your quick evaluation leads you to suspect that the source is biased, inaccurate, or unreliable, find another source or dig a little deeper by reading laterally and fact checking.

How to Evaluate Web Resources Infographic