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Teaching Resources

Tips for Internet Use

Choosing websites? Ask yourself these questions!

   Purpose

  • Why was this website created? To inform? To teach? To sell? To persuade?

  • What is the domain (for example, .edu, .org, .com, .gov )?  What might that tell you about the purpose?

   Relevance

  • Does the information cover your topic or answer your question?

  • Is the information at the right level (not too basic or advanced for your needs)?

   Authority

  • Look for an "About Us" button or link. Who is the publisher or sponsor of the site (for example: a business; a college; a government agency; a nonprofit organization)?  What can you find out about the publisher?  How are they connected to the purpose of the website?

  • Is an author named? Is there evidence that the author is an expert on this topic (for example: her or his biography; organizations she or he belongs to; awards and recognitions she or he has won )?

  • Is there contact information with an address, phone, or email?

   Currency

  • Can you find a date when the pages were created or updated?

  • Based on your topic, is it recent enough?

   Accuracy

  • What kind of information is included in the website (for example: maps; scientific data; news reports; opinions; analysis)?

  • Where does the information come from? Are the sources cited?

  • Does the information agree with what you have found in other sources?

  • Do the links work? Where do they go?

  • Are there spelling, grammatical or typographical errors?

Safety Online

Library Computers and Online Resources

Teachers and students can use Info Hub computers to access the library's Online Resources and Microsoft Office applications. No library card required for Info Hub computers.