In the next step, you will link with several sites and evaluate them from both a teacher and learner perspective. In each case, you should evaluate the sites using the guiding questions and principles listed below. Read through the list. When you are finished, click NEXT to go to the next step to begin evaluating the sites.

Author: All reputable sites should list an author, unless it is part of a larger site (such as an encyclopedia or online journal). In addition, an author's credentials should be given.

Publisher: Does the site list or credit its publisher? Many websites are published by larger journals or organizations. If there is no publisher or sponsor listed, it is important to determine whether the site is a credible one.

Opinion/Bias: Does this website express an opinion about the subject? This is an important consideration. Many websites may appear to be unbiased and factual, but, in fact, present information slanted in a certain direction. (For example, the National Rifle Association's website would probably not be an unbiased source for information about violent crime in the U.S.)

Age of the Website: Be sure to check the date of the last update of the page. If the page has not been updated in over a year, any information it contains may be outdated or incorrect.

Ease of navigation and use: This kind of evaluation is important for ESL sites because a student with limited English needs to be able to understand the purpose of the site, and to know how to move from one activity to the next.

Cognitive Demand: How much text is on the page? How is it organized? Will your students be able to locate information easily and understand the text? Is there too much information for the reading level of your learners?