Investigating Criteria Seventh Graders Use to Evaluate the Quality of Online Information

• In Event: Beyond Bricks and Mortar: Online Learning Research

Abstract

This paper presents qualitative findings from a study that examined the types of criteria middle school students use to evaluate the quality of online information and sources while accomplishing an assignment. Open-constructed responses from two sets of four critical evaluation items (a subset of 16 items designed to measure online reading comprehension performance) were compiled from diverse seventh-graders in a representative, two-state, stratified random sample (n = 773). Content analysis revealed that many students use a range of unacceptable or superficial criteria to determine the author of a website; determine if that author is an expert; state the author’s point of view; and provide reasoned evidence about the overall reliability of a website.

Authors

• Julie Coiro, University of Rhode Island

• Donald J. Leu, University of Connecticut

• Elena Forzani, University of Connecticut

• Cheryl Maykel, University of Connecticut

• Jonna M. Kulikowich, The Pennsylvania State University

• Nell Sedransk, National Institute of Statistical Sciences