"Students can use Google to quickly find millions of websites matching their search request, but are they able to determine which sites actually contain information that is accurate, unbiased, up to date, and written by someone with authority?" (Source: Control Alt Achieve)
Teacher-librarian Mrs. Fleetham at Grindrod Elementary teachers uses CARS as a way to guide a person to critically evaluate websites. Try it out!
Credibility
- who is the author; who created the information?
- date the website was created &/or updated?
Accuracy
- who is the author?
- what information is given to them, what are their qualifications?
Reasonable
- does the site make sense?
- what is the PURPOSE of the site: educate, entertain, sell, or dupe you?
Support
- can you find other websites or books that "verify" the information
URL extentions: often .org, .edu, and .gov websites are credible = organization, post secondary education, and government sites. ".org" sites used to be for non-profit organizations, but more and more this extension is being used for all types of websites.
".com" extention used to be sites that sold things, but once again all types of websites now use ".com" as their extention.
Below are website options for you to critically evaluate using the CARS acronym. Find one credible site and one not-so-credible site. Be able to defend your OPINION.
