With the advent of the World Wide Web and the huge amount of information that is contained there, students need to be able to critically evaluate a Web page for authenticity, applicability, authorship, bias, and usability. The ability to critically evaluate information is an important skill in this information age.

To help you get started with this process with your students, I have designed a series of evaluation surveys, one each at the elementary, middle, and secondary school levels. The elementary, middle, and secondary surveys have been re-designed and updated in February of 2009. The virtual tour, blog, podcast, and teacher site evaluations have been added since 2005 and updated in 2009.

Critical Evaluation Surveys

• Critical Evaluation Survey : Elementary School Level (PDF)
• Critical Evaluation Survey : Middle School Level (PDF)
• Critical Evaluation Survey : Secondary School Level (PDF)
• Critical Evaluation Survey : Teacher Sites (PDF form)
• Critical Evaluation Survey : Virtual Tours (PDF)
• Critical Evaluation Survey: iPod/iPad App (PDF)
• Critical Evaluation Survey : Blogs (PDF form) (Spanish)
• Critical Evaluation Survey : Podcasts (PDF form)
• Critical Evaluation Survey : Online Videos (PDF form)
• 2005 Critical Evaluation Surveys translated into Spanish (PDF)

Information by the Author

• The 5 W's of Web Site Evaluation
  ...a summary handout for students and an example handout
• The ABC's of Web Site Evaluation
  ...article fromClassroom Connect, 1/99
• The ABC's of Web Site Evaluation
  ...updated article (URLs) of the one above, 7/02
• Building a Content-Rich Web Page
  ...article by author inTechnology & Learning, 9/00
• Separating the Wheat from the Chaff:
  How to Tell the Good Sites from the Bad
  ...article by the author inITWFL, 3/98
• Evaluating the Web: Questions to Ask Yourself
  ...article by the author inCable in the Classrom, 7/01
• Evaluation of Internet Web Sites : An Annotated Bibliography
  ...an ERIC Digest by the author, 8/98
• Internet Curriculum : Brush Up on the Internet
• Internet Curriculum : Critical Evaluation Lesson Plan
• Teacher Web Evaluation Rating Sheet
• Find out about my book on evaluation of Web sites!

Critical Evaluation Information by Others

• 21CIF Lesson Plan and Action Research Repository
  ...links to lesson plans dealing with information fluen
• But I found it on the Internet!
  ...an article dealing with the need to teach critical evaluation skills
• Checklist for Evaluating Web Resources
  ...a one-page, nicely presented checklist of criteria
• Critically Analyzing Information Sources
  ...a well-done overview of the critical analysis of sites
• CyberGuides
  ...criteria for teachers to use in evaluating sites for content and design
• Educator's Guide to Credibility and Web Evaluation
  ...an academic white paper dealing with the topic
• Evaluating Internet Sources and Sites: A Tutorial
  ...a common-sense guide and tutorial to critical evaluation of online information
• Evaluating Internet-Based Information: A Goals-Based Approach
  ...an interesting essay and evaluation form by David Warlick from 1998
• Evaluating Web Content: Social Networking Sites
  ...an quick overview of the things to look for to determine credibility
• Evaluating Web Resources
  ...a great site which looks at the different types of pages
• Evaluating Web Sites
  ...a rubric and overview of the evaluation of Web sites
• Evaluating Web Sites: What Makes a Web Site Good?
  ...a readable essay for students on the topic
• Fact or Folly: Authentication of Online Information
  ...includes lessons and tips for teaching critical evaluation
• Five Criteria for Evaluating Web Pages
  ...a well-done handout with questions for students to consider
• Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
  ...a great tutorial with criteria, examples, resources, and more
• IMSE Science Web Site Evaluation
  ...questions for the specialized evaluation of science sites
• Infofilter's Web Site Review Template
  ...a cross between a citation and evaluation sheet
• Information Skills Rating Scale
  ...a sample rubric that may be used to assess students' research skills
• Photographic Truth in the Digital Era
  ...an overview of the process of evaluation of photographs
• Quality Information Checklist (QUICK)
  ...a critical evaluation tutorial for late elementary students
• 700+ Great Sites : Selection Criteria
  ...ALA's criteria for a "great" site
• Teaching Internet Research Skills
  ...a critical evaluation teaching Web site
• Teaching Zack to Think
  ...a seminal article by Alan November
• Ten C's for Evaluating Internet Resources
  ...a narrative evaluation sheet with useful information
• Thinking Critically about Web 2.0 and Beyond
  ...items to consider for Web 2.0 tools
• Thinking Critically about World Wide Web Resources
  ...a well-done critical evaluation essay
• 2Learn 'Net Know-How: Evaluation Tools
  ...interactive tools for grades K-3 & 4-6
• UC Berkeley: Critical Evaluation Worksheet
  ...another quality evaluation form to use with students
• UC Berkeley: Evaluating Web Pages- Experience Why it is Important
  ...an evaluation activity including a lesson, slideshow, and much more
• Web Evaluation Guide Tutorial
  ...an interactive tutorial for critical evaluation
• Web Site Investigator
  ...an evaluation tool for early elementary grades (Word)
• Yahooligans: Internet Literacy
  ...lessons and activities for students dealing with Internet literacy
• Yahooligans: Web Site Evaluation for Teachers
  ...a brief overview of things to look for

Sites to Use for Demonstrating Critical Evaluation

• Aluminum Foil Deflector Beanies
• Ban Dihydrogen Monoxide
• Boilerplate: Mechanical Marvel of the 19th Century
• Burmese Mountain Dog
• Buy an Ancestor Online
• California's Velcro Crop Under Challenge
• Case Analysis of a Historic Killer Tornado
• Cybertan
• Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division
• Feline Reactions to Bearded Men
• Google Job Opportunities
• Google Technology
• Jacopo di Poggibonsi
• Mankato (MN) Home Page
• MoonBeam Enterprises and Lunar Travel Agency
• History of the Fisher-Price Airplane
• OvaPrima Foundation
• Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus
• Taxonomy of Barney
• Visit Exciting Fredericton