Research
Evaluating websites
This is the checklist that our fifth graders use to evaluate websites found during searches and determine reliability. The biggest lesson: don't rely on just one website; check multiple sources (books, databases, websites, etc.) for multiple perspectives and verification of facts.
Search Strategies
Often, a good starting point is an online encyclopaedia article, to define the topic broadly and see photos or videos about it. See Online Resources for complete lists of encyclopedias available to the WIS community. Avoid using Wikipedia since it is not a professionally edited source and we can't be sure the information is accurate, current, credible or written for children.
Next, check the WIS library catalog to find books on your topic. (Little known fact: our library catalog is also the place to search for websites! See more information on it below.)
We also recommend you check your public library for books.
Websites often have great information, but remember, not all websites are accurate, true, or appropriate for students. The best approach is to consult websites recommended by your librarians and teachers or found by searching Webpath with selected sites for children such as kids.yahoo.com. Avoid Google and other like search engines since some of the content is not appropriate for students and it can be very difficult to tell what's unbiased and credible.
There are many other sources of information! Depending on your topic, you may be visiting museums, interviewing experts, viewing art, etc.. For good educational videos, try BrainPop or National Geographic. Use YouTube only with your parents' permission, as not all content is appropriate for children.
Additional Search Tools
If you need further information that what our subscription databases provide, you may want to search for information using these sources:
Click "Tools" and select Creative Commons Licenses to search
the ethical way for images that are labeled "ok" for your re-use
Safe visual search engine for kids