Using the criteria mentioned in the first two pages on evaluating internet sources, take a look at the following web sites and apply some of the information discussed.  Do you think your students would be able to determine which site to use?

 

Internet Search performed: History of Witchcraft

http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/salem/witchcraft/

This site was found using Google.com

http://ca.essortment.com/historyofmagi_rsav.htm

This site was also found in the same list of results.

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Internet Search performed: Smoking Lies

http://www.smokingparadise.net/Info/lies.html

This site was found using the search engine Google.com

http://www.pierrelemieux.org/re-smoking.html

This site was found using the search engine Altavista.com

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Internet Search performed: Martin Luther King

http://www.martinlutherking.org/

This site was on the first page of the search results using the search engine, Altavista.com

http://www.thekingcenter.org/

This site comes up on the same search but it is more than four pages of clicking before a student would come across it.

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Research has shown that internet searchers will look no further than the first or second page of search results.  These sites are extreme examples of why it is important that students develop the information competence skills to effectively evaluate internet resources. Most times, the subtleties of web sites make it even more difficult for freshmen and seniors to determine which websites contain relevant information.  What is a professor to do?