A checklist to help surfers begin determining if information found on a website is true or not*.
Website: / Trustworthy / Questionable
1. / Do large companies you know advertise on the site? / Yes □ / No □
2. / Are there any ‘dead links’, or links to ‘moved pages’? / No □ / Yes □
3. / Do the images support the stated facts? / Yes □ / No □
4. / Is the site hosted by a credible provider and reside in a ‘trustworthy’ domain. / Yes □ / No □
5. / Are there links and references to other web sites, resources and experts that corroborate this information? / Yes □ / No □
6. / Is the resource available in another format? / Yes □ / No □
7. / Do the site’s authors have other publications with credible sites and publishers? / Yes □ / No □
8. / Are the sites authors experts in the subject? (Do they have any credentials or experience around the topic?) / Yes □ / No □
9. / Is contact information provided and does the place/email exist and work? / Yes □ / No □
10. / Does the site present highly biased visuals (e.g. racist statements, derogatory remarks, and emotional language)? / No □ / Yes □
11. / Is the site professional (grammar and typing errors are not present or very minimal)? / Yes □ / No □
Totals**:
* There are many reasons why Internet information may be considered false or untrustworthy. Thus there are many ways in determining if information is trustworthy and true. The questions on this form help middle school and secondary surfers begin to explore some of the most obvious and easily detected flaws (falsehoods) in web site information. The following are additional information into each of the 11 aforementioned items:
1. Usually large companies do not advertise on spoof and parody sites because the ‘marginalized’ messages usually tarnish the public’s perception of the company. The exception occurs when the site attracts a large audience and/or the message is seen as ‘clean’, acceptable, humor.
2. Most parody and spoof sites are not kept current, thus links are often broken.
3. Usually visuals support the site’s message. Usually when the text and pictures don’t agree with one another, the information becomes unclear and questionable.
4. Usually the domain (.com, .org are known as domains) matches the website’s content. For example, the ‘official’ Vatican website resides in the Vatican State and has the extension .va (see vatican.va/). The Vatican parody site ends with the domain .com (see popedope.com). More on domains can be found at: http://www.sosig.ac.uk/desire/offline/3_5.html.
5 & 6. Information from other experts in the field, who do not post their information in the same site, usually indicates that the information is trustworthy.
6 & 7. Material also published in books (and in the public library) usually means the information has been checked by editors for false or unreliable information.
8. Doctorates from a recognized university in the websites content usually indicates trustworthy information. Go to the post secondary website to determine if the person and or the degree issued is valid.
9. Incorrect email or address often indicates the authors will not stand behind the site’s information.
10. Usually highly emotional and negative language indicates perspectives that are irrational, inflammatory, and biased.
11. Typing and grammatical mistakes usually indicates similar lack of care in accuracy of information.
** Two or more check marks in the questionable column indicates a good chance that the website’s information is questionable and likely not reliable and true. Each of these 11 items requires discussion with students to determine why this would or would not be a criteria for determining if a website is trustworthy.
Lower Mainland Council International Reading Association
http://www.lerc.educ.ubc.ca/LERC/outreach/lomcira2006/lomcirahandoutapril06.doc