Lesson 15 — Activity 3: Internet Reliability


The Internet is used as a source of information or news. Yet, you cannot always be sure that the information you find on the Internet is accurate and reliable? At some point you have probably received an e-mail about a certain virus, and that e-mail message has turned out to be a hoax (something that is intended to deceive you).

As with any information, when you use the Internet, there is always a need to check the source of the information. Here are some suggestions you can think about when doing a search for reliable sites.


  • Look at the address or URL of the site. If the site is a personal webpage, the information may be altered. Keep in mind the information from that site is based on that person's opinions. Therefore, the research may or may not have support from reliable sources. More accountable sites are those of governments (.gov), schools and universities (.edu), and non-profit organizations (.org) rather than personal webpages (geocities.com, aol.com, etc.). You can also learn about the site by clicking on the "About Us" section of that particular site.
  • Look at where the information comes from. Is the information based on the author's opinion or are there footnotes or other evidence that the writer has done research to support what is being stated? Look for copyright information that will tell you if the information can be reproduced.
  • Look at the links connected to the site. If these sites are linked to reliable URLs, then it is more than likely reliable. You can also search the author's name to see if he or she is a credible source of information.
  • Look at the date the site was updated. If you want current information, you need to be sure that the site will be updated regularly.

Most importantly, you need to think critically about the content on any website. Does the site make sense to you? Can you tell if the information has a bias? Can you find other sites or information from sources other than the Internet to support the content of the website?

Did you know?

Wikipedia uses wiki software to create its many pages. This gives the ability for any user to create accounts and add and edit information. That's right — anyone can create a new Wikipedia page, and anyone can make changes to existing Wikipedia pages. There are people (called administrators and editors) who fact-check the information put on a Wikipedia page and make changes to the content as appropriate. Because Wikipedia is easily edited, it is not considered reliable — but it is commonly used and can be useful as a starting place for research. Therefore, Wikipedia can be a useful tool, but caution is the key word! Don't always believe everything you read on a Wikipedia page — always check other sources to be sure the information on the page is reliable and credible!


Self-check!


Click here to download an activity where you will analyze a website. Choose any website that you like and answer the questions on the sheet as either yes or no. Be sure to include the website address before you hand it in to your teacher to be marked as completed.

Digging Deeper!

Click on the Play button below to watch a video that will give you tips so you can decide whether or not a website is reliable and credible.