How Accurate is The Internet Information?

While discussing Media Literacy (and how to read it critically) in Clive's class last Thursday, the subject of being able to find reliable information on the 'net was brought up. Specifically, what guidelines can we give our students so they are able to do this independently, and effectively? Peterson provides a Checklist would could be used as an Anchor Chart in your classroom:

Use these questions to help you decide what information you can trust and what information you should ignore:

1. What viewpoint does the information source seem to promote?
2. What different viewpoints are presented? Does the website creator/designer fairly present each one?
3. What information seems to be missing? Whose viewpoints seem to be missing?
4. Are there any stereotypes? What are they? Why do you think they creator/designer used stereotypes?
5. What information seems to be exaggerated (e.g., "Never before has anyone tried...) or overgeneralized (e.g., Everyone knows that...)?
6. What credentials does the creator/designer have to make him/her more knowledgeable?
7. Is this information up to date?
8. Does the creator/designer present opinions as facts? (e.g., "It is well know that...")
9. When you compare the information from three or four different sources, what contradictions do you find? How will you decide which information to use if there are contradictions?

(p. 25)

Here's another youtube video that could be used in a Junior-level classroom: