This document provides a strategy called R.E.A.L. for effectively evaluating websites. R.E.A.L. stands for Read the URL, Examine the content, Ask about the author and owner, and Look at the links. It then explains each step in the strategy and provides examples of how to apply each step. The goal is for students to learn the R.E.A.L. strategy to help them evaluate websites based on their needs, such as for a hypothetical project on declining honeybee populations. Students are given several potential resource websites to evaluate using this strategy.

1. R U 4
R.E.A.L.?
Strategies for Website Evaluation

2. Where do you normally go to find
information?

3. Why do we often use the
Internet?
Pros Cons

4. Example 1:
http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/

5. Your goal for today:
Learn the R.E.A.L. strategy
to help you effectively
evaluate websites based
upon your needs.

6. Strategy: R.E.A.L.
Read the URL.
Examine the content.
Ask about the author and
owner.
Looks at the links.

7. Read the URL.
• Do you recognize the domain name?
•What is the extension in the domain
name?
• Are you on a personal page? (name,
~, %)

8. Examine the content.
• Is the information on the website useful for your
topic?
• Are additional resources and links provided? Do the
links work?
• Is the site current? Do you know when it was last
updated?
• Do you think the information is accurate?
• Does the information contradict information you have
found elsewhere?

9. Ask about the author and
owner.
• Is the author's name provided?
• Is there a contact person, an address, or e-mail address
provided?
• Is there any biographical information provided about the
author?
• Does the author seem knowledgeable? Is her or she an
expert in the field?
• What kinds of results do you see when you do a search
on the author's name?

10. Looks at the links.
Forward Links - links from your website to a page on
another website (hover over the link with your cursor to find
out the URL; example)
• What are the URLs of the forward links?
• Do the domain names change? If not, the information
may be biased?
Backward Links - links from another website to pages on
your site (use the link: command in Google, i.e.
link:www.martinlutherking.org; if it doesn't work, try
shortening the web address)
• Who is linked to the Web site?
• Why are they linked?
• What do other sites say about the material on the site?

11. Example 2:
http://www.bigredhair.com/robots/index.html

12. Extra: R.E.A.L. Video
http://youtu.be/dSnm8u7UOwE

13. Activity: What’s happening to honey
bees?
Find the BEST possible
resources for a
hypothetical project
about the dwindling
population of honey
bees. Evaluate the
websites listed on your
handout to determine
the “best”. Be prepared
to explain your choice.
Upton, Nick. Honey Bee Heavily Laden with Pollen. N.d. Nature Picture Library,
Bristol, United Kingdom. Honey Bee Videos, Photos and Facts. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
<http://www.arkive.org/honey-bee/apis-mellifera/>.

14. panna.org
URL
Content
Author/Owner
Links

15. ent.uga.edu/bees/
URL
Content
Author/Owner
Links

16. sustainlife.org
URL
Content
Author/Owner
Links

17. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_be
e
URL
Content
Author/Owner
Links

18. animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bugs/ho
neybee
URL
Content
Author/Owner
Links

19. ars.usda.gov/News/docs.htm?docid=1
5572
URL
Content
Author/Owner
Links

20. Did you meet your goal for
today?
Learn the R.E.A.L. strategy
to help you effectively
evaluate websites based
upon your needs.

21. Resources
Guinan, Paul. "HISTORY OF ROBOTS IN THE VICTORIAN ERA." HISTORY OF
ROBOTS IN THE VICTORIAN ERA. N.p., 2011.
November, Alan. "3 Websites to Validate." November Learning. November Learning, 24
Mar.
November, Alan C. Web Literacy for Educators. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, 2008.
Print.
Ohlone Library. "Website Evaluation." YouTube. YouTube, 23 Nov. 2009. Web. 15 Apr.
2014.
Way, Tom. "Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division - Dihydrogen Monoxide Info."
Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division - Dihydrogen Monoxide Info. United States
Environmental Assessment Center, 15 Apr. 2014. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
Zapato, Lyle. "Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus." Save The Pacific Northwest Tree
Octopus. Kelvinic University Branch of the Wild Haggis Conservation Society, 4 Feb.
2013. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. 2012. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.