Evaluating+Web+Sites

=Evaluating Web Sites: Day 1=

Introduction
 If you are like most students, you rely heavily on resources from the Web for your research. Not all Web resources are created equal. In fact, there are great variations in the quality of the resources you access. The rule of thumb is "when in doubt, doubt." When you carefully select your resources, when you understand their strengths and limits, you create better products.

[[image:http://www.sdst.org/shs/library/images/Target000AE653.gif width="18" height="19"]] The task
You will be working with a group to evaluate a set of Web pages on a single topic. Each of you will be examining sites from a different perspective. You will be ranking the sites and comparing your rankings with the rest of the class.

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 * Your group will evaluate the selected Web sites.
 * Divide your group into the following four specialties to cover ground more efficiently.
 * **1.) Content specialist**
 * **2.) Authority/Credibility specialist**
 * **3.) Bias / Purpose specialist**
 * **4.) Usability / Design specialist**

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 * If you have 3 group members, skip Usability/Design
 * If you have 5 group members, assign two members to Authority/Credibility - but each person will do their own work, separately

Click here to read a description of the Four Specialties:

Resources
You will each be responsible for completing an EVALUATING WEB SITES CHART, focusing on your assigned perspective within your group.

Here are the Web sites you will evaluate:

**Dinosaurs**


 * Walking With Dinosaurs @http://www.bbc.co.uk/dinosaurs/
 * Dinorama @http://www.nationalgeographic.com/dinorama/main.html
 * DinoBuzz @http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/diapsids/dinobuzz.html


 * **//If you finish with all three of the above sites, continue evaluating these additional sites://**


 * Dinosauria Online @http://www.dinosauria.com/
 * Billy Bear's Land O' Dinosaurs @http://www.billybear4kids.com/dinosaurs/long-long-ago.html