1. Test Before You Trust! Identifying High Quality Sites Source: Common Sense Media Inc. 2011 http://www.commonsensemedia.org

2. Some Questions for You Can Anyone be an Author? What websites do you use for research? How do you know you can trust those sites? Source: Common Sense Media Inc. 2011 http://www.commonsensemedia.org

3. Key Vocabulary Evaluate: To carefully examine something to figure out its value Trustworthy: Accurate and dependable Criteria: Standards on which you base a judgment or decision Community (on the Web): Group of people who are connected through a website, often working on a common project Site Map: A list of the webpages on a website Source: Common Sense Media Inc. 2011 http://www.commonsensemedia.org

4. What Do YOU Think? Who might you expect to write a book on an endangered species in Australia? Wildlife biologist Zoologist Expert on Australian animals Someone who has spent time in Australia studying wildlife Aboriginal people who know about the local wildlife Source: Common Sense Media Inc. 2011 http://www.commonsensemedia.org

5. What Do YOU Think? What kinds of people might write an article about a new health care law just passed by Congress? Health care experts Doctors Political scientists Reporters who cover health care Reporters in Washington who write about Congress Source: Common Sense Media Inc. 2011 http://www.commonsensemedia.org

6. What Do YOU Think? Suppose YOU wrote a book about an endangered species in Australia? Would a book publisher be likely to publish it? What if you wrote an article about a new health care law? Could you get a newspaper to print it? But, could you post your book or article on the web? Source: Common Sense Media Inc. 2011 http://www.commonsensemedia.org

7. Books and Newspapers Versus Web Website May or may not be published by an expert Usually no editor “Facts” might be opinions Errors may not get fixed May deliberately misrepresent Book and Newspapers Authors who know their subjects Editors and fact checkers Source: Common Sense Media Inc. 2011 http://www.commonsensemedia.org

8. What You Should Know The Web is Improving Standards are Being Developed Don’t assume its not true because its on the web View it with a critical eye! Source: Common Sense Media Inc. 2011 http://www.commonsensemedia.org

9. How Can YOU Be a Reliable Author? Use TrustworthySources Learn a lot about your topic Check your facts carefully Source: Common Sense Media Inc. 2011 http://www.commonsensemedia.org

10. Testing Is the author is an expert? Received awards? Is the site run by a respected organization or type of website (e.g., .gov, .edu)? Is source from a well-known newspaper? You arrive there from another trusted site Source: Common Sense Media Inc. 2011 http://www.commonsensemedia.org

11. Review Why should you carefully evaluate websites before using their information in research projects? Anyone can publish material of any quality on the Web. What questions do you need to ask? See handout Source: Common Sense Media Inc. 2011 http://www.commonsensemedia.org

12. Assignment 3 Find and save 3 websites that you might be able to use for your Science Fair Project. Complete the worksheets for each of the three websites Due October 19, 2011 Source: Common Sense Media Inc. 2011 http://www.commonsensemedia.org