The Eight Signs

Worksheet Description

The “8 Signs of a Credible Website” worksheet is a resourceful guide for students to determine the reliability of a website. The worksheet outlines key factors that contribute to the credibility of a website, such as institutional affiliation, expertise on the topic, non-commercial intent, absence of bias, currency of information, professionalism in design and writing, authorship transparency, and the presence of links to other credible sites. Students are encouraged to critically evaluate these aspects of a website and record their findings, providing them with a structured approach to information assessment.

Using this worksheet, students can systematically analyze a website’s validity, which is a crucial skill in the digital age where they are constantly inundated with information from various online sources. The process teaches them to distinguish between credible and non-credible content, thereby honing their research abilities and promoting digital literacy.

It also underscores the importance of looking beyond the surface and investigating whether a website’s content is backed by evidence and comes from a trustworthy source. The clear and concise format of the worksheet makes it an excellent educational tool for classroom instruction on media literacy or as part of a larger research skills curriculum.