Are you tired of getting research papers from your students that are full of Web pages created by suspect Web-masters like the kid down the block or someone launching a marketing scam? This assignment will help you screen the Web pages your students plan to cite in their research papers and projects. Use this lesson plan to improve the quality of the Web resources your students are using in their papers.
Note: There is also an accompanying assignment to this lesson, Evaluating the Credibility of World Wide Web Pages.

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES

Students will choose appropriate, high quality Web pages for use in their research papers and projects by:

• Identifying critical pieces of information of information within a Web document that may be used to evaluate its quality
• Determining the overall quality of a Web document based upon identified criteria
• Determining whether a Web document is appropriate for a given information need based on its relevancy and quality

INSTRUCTOR PREPARATION

1. Adapt or copy the accompanying assignment [Evaluating the Credibility of World Wide Web Pages.]

2. Identify a Web page in the course's topic area that would be appropriate for citing in an academic paper and another on the same topic that would be considered a "quack" page but which appears to be authoritative. If you're stumped, check out http://www2.widener.edu/Wolfgram-Memorial-Library/examples.htm for ideas.

3. Book a computer lab for the class meeting.

STUDENT PREPARATION

1. Have students complete QuickStudy Module 5: Finding Web pages.

2. Have students complete QuickStudy Module 7: Evaluating Sources.

3. Build a criteria list for evaluating Web pages (post on class listserv?).

4. Meet in computer lab for class session.
   QuickStudy: Library Research Guide

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