Now it's time to test your skills at evaluating a source. For this activity, you are researching some information about the first naval battle that took place during World War I to use in your research paper for your composition class. You have found two different sites that discuss the first naval battle, and now you need to choose which is the more credible source.
Follow the directions below.
1) Read the two articles found here and here. Do NOT consider author credentials yet.
2) As you read, ask yourself the following questions and post your answers here:
Which source gives resources (whether in a references section or as links in a sidebar or elsewhere on the page) for you to consult further?
Are there any differences in the information presented? What are they? Which source do you think is most accurate? Why?
Is there any bias in the information (does the author only present one side of the story)? If there is bias present, what is the bias?
Can you tell how current this information is? When was the site last updated?
After you're done reading, which source do you think is the most credible? Why?
3) Once you've read the articles and answered the above questions, look at the author's credentials. Post your answers to these questions here.
Who is the author of each piece? What are the author's credentials? (Hint: Remember that authors can be listed at the top or the bottom of a webpage)
Look at each site's About Us section: BBC Firstworldwar.com. Does this information change your thoughts on which source is more credible? If so, why? If not, why not?
4) Write a 5-7 sentence annotation (summary) of each source that evaluates the source for credibility and gives your reasons why you think the source is or is not credible. Post your annotations here. Once you've posted your annotations, read over your classmates' posts and discuss if you agree or disagree with their evaluations and why. Remember to be respectful!
Once you have finished this activity, fill out the Student Self-Assessment form.