Uncovering Students' Website Evaluation Strategies: A Think-Aloud Analysis of Critical Online Reasoning Skills

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Abstract

This study investigates critical online reasoning (COR) skills among university students with a focus on their critical evaluation of website information. Using cued retrospective think-aloud interviews conducted after an open web search task, we qualitatively analyzed the information selection and evaluation processes of 29 high- and low-performing students as based on their rated COR performance. Results show that while both groups share overlapping evaluation criteria (content, source, and layout), notable differences exist in the specific attributes considered and their weighting. High performers tend to utilize more systematic and formal evaluation criteria whereas low performers more frequently rely on heuristic and superficial cues. Findings inform digital literacy interventions by teaching students to apply credibility checks and resist superficial online evaluation cues.

Authors

• Andreas Maur, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz

• Anika Kohmer, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz

• Ann-Kathrin Kunz, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz

• Maruschka Weber, Goethe University

• Verena Klose, Goethe University

• Yavuz Dinc, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich

• Verena Ruf, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

• Stefan Küchemann, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich