INFORMATION LITERACY: Accessing Information - Evaluating Relevancy of Resources

One of the effects of living in a digital age is the over-abundance of readily accessibility information. Students need to be equipped with the tools to evaluate the usefulness, credibility and reliability of the resources they access. Teach students to use the 5W's & H to evaluate the reliability of print and electronic information.

TIP: Discuss with students the importance of triangulation. They should be able to
        verify the information in a least three different sources.


puzzlekids

Evaluating Resources in Action
Who
... is the author?  Does the author have the credentials to write on the topic? Who sponsors the
    website? link...     link...  link...
What
... is its purpose? Was it written to inform, persuade or entertain? Is i t free from bias? Is the content
    full of facts or opinions? link...
When
... was it published/created? What is the copyright date. When was the website last updated? Is it
    important that the information be current?
Where
... was the material published/created? Is Canadian content important?
Why ... is this the best resource? Is there a better resource suitable for my grade level?  Can I find the
   information more quickly in a print resource, or is an electronic resource the best format?
How ... is the information displayed? Does the book contain a table of contents, index, glossary,
    headings/sub-headings, etc.? Is the website easy to navigate?
 
Last Update: 07-Jun-2005 2:09 PM