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Online GSE Program Library Research Guide: Web Content for Teachers

Library resources and information for students in the online Graduate School of Education program

Websites in Education

This page provides information about websites for research or classroom use.

Many sites offer lesson plan ideas as well as free materials/handouts.

Don't forget to evaluate websites by using the criteria below.

Please see the pages underneath the Web Content for Teachers page above to find selected websites in many subject areas.

 

 

 

Evaluating Web Information

  • Determine whether your websites are accurate and reliable.
     
  • Remember, just because something is written down does not make it true!
     
  • Use the Evaluation Criteria below from Lesson 5 of the Fordham Library Research Tutorial,

The following criteria should be applied to all types of information sources: web, print, and broadcast media. 

Authority

  • Identify who is the author and determine the author's qualifications.
  • Is the author an expert in the field?
  • Has the author published in this field before?
  • Is the author a member of professional/academic societies in the field?
  • For Web resources identify the site's sponsor (university, company, organization or individual).
  • Check the domain extension to determine sponsorship.
  • Does the website have a link to information about the author or sponsor?
  • Does the author or Webmaster provide contact information?
     
 

Accuracy

  • Determine if the information is reliable and error free.
  • Is there an editor or fact checker who verifies the information?
  • Is it published in a peer-reviewed/scholarly publication?
  • Are the sources of factual information listed so that they can be verified from other sources?
  • Is the material free of grammatical and spelling errors?
     
 

Objectivity

  • Determine the goals and aims of the author.
  • Is the material balanced or is it heavily biased in one direction or another?
  • Are the opinions of the author expressed?
  • For websites, is the information presented as a public service?
  • Is the website intended to advocate certain opinions?
  • Is there advertising on the website?
  • Is the advertising clearly differentiated from the content of the website?
  • The web can often serve as a "virtual soapbox" for expressing opinions so be sure to determine whether the site is designed for information or advocacy.
 

Currency

  • Current information is important, particularly in the sciences.
  • Determine when the source was produced.
  • For websites, when was the site written and when was it last updated?
  • Are there many non-working links on the page?
 

Coverage

  • Make sure that the level of information is appropriate for your research.
  • Is it intended for a general or specialized audience?
  • For websites, has the page been completed or is it still under construction?
  • Is the information presented cited correctly?

Advanced Search Google

The Google Advanced Search  allows you to be more restrictive in the type of sites you retrieve. Type "advanced search" in the Google search bar and select it from the results list.

How does Google Advanced Search help you be more restrictive?

  • Limits the domain of the sites you search.  If you need sites in education about teaching, look at websites that come from schools/colleges/universities. Type .edu in the bar labeled "site or domain:" located in the bottom half of the page.
     
  • If you are searching statistics in education, type your terms in the bars at the top of the page and limit your results to government sites by typing .gov in the domain search bar. 
     
  • View .org domain sites with a critical eye to ascertain that the site is not promoting an agenda.

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