Class Structure:
- Discussion on Sources
- Small Group Activity
- Group Discussion
Evaluating Online Sources:
“Your job is to conduct an inquiry, not to shop around for sources” (Bean 121).
How do you determine the quality of online sources?
Journal Databases like Jstor.
Nationally circulated newspapers like the NY Times.
Quasi-journalistic sites or content mills like Ehow.
User-generated sites like Wikipedia.
Advertorial, internet market, or other product-placement sites.
Small Group Activity:
Swap your article with a partner. Evaluate the article’s credibility based on the following conditions:
- Where was it published/What Site?
- Who is the author?
- What sources does the author use for support?
- How does the source treat opposing arguments, and how does that treatment effect credibility?
- What credentials/affiliations does the author have? Do they help/hurt credibility?
- On a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the best, and one being the worst, rank the article’s credibility.
Repeat this process with another person’s article.
Homework Due: Printed article for class activity.
Homework Assigned: Read chapter nine of They Say/I Say, pgs. 121-128