EVALUATING INTERNET SOURCES

FACT OR OPINION

BIAS

VALIDITY OF INFORMATION

ACCURACY

HOW CURRENT THE MATERIAL IS ?

READABILITY OF INFORMATION or SUITABLE FOR THE AUDIENCE.

FACT OR OPINION

• Facts are often written as a simple statement, for example ‘Fiji lies in the Pacific Ocean’.

• Opinions are often supported by evidence.• Facts are easily recognized because phrases like

‘possibly’, ‘maybe’, ‘it is probable’ etc. are used.• Opinions are sometimes easily recognized

because words like ‘believe’, ‘opinion’, ‘think’’, ‘could’, ‘might’ and ‘would’ are used.

BIAS

• Bias is a lack of objectivity or fairness in the treatment of topics.

• On websites the bias can sometimes be identified when information keeps directing you to purchase a product or products.

VALIDITY OF INFORMATION• For information to be valid, it must be both accurate and

reliable.• For reliability you must check the source of the data.• Check the publisher of the data• Find out how information was collected.• Check if other reliable sites have links to it.• Check if the site contains lots of advertisements.• Check how upto date the website is. (Check the dates)• Another indicator of a site’s validity is the use of

endorsements from reputable organizations.

READABILITY OF INFORMATION or SUITABLE FOR THE AUDIENCE.

• The information must be in a format that will be easily read by the proposed target audience.

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