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6th Grade: Ancient Rome: Evaluating Sources

Databases, websites, and project guidelines.

This project requires at least 5 CAR (Complete, Accurate, Reliable) sources. At least one of these sources cannot be a website. An article from an online database or encyclopedia, or an ebook or the course packet count as a non-web source. Remember that the point of your research is to learn about your topic. You will then be teaching what you have learned about your chosen area of Roman culture to your classmates through your presentation. 

Remember most articles and websites have features that can help you evaluate the depth of the information they offer such as bold or italicized titles, headings and sub-headings, or Site Map much like those in our textbook. As we have practiced with our textbook, you should always preview these aspects of a source to evaluate how useful it will be in providing information on your particular topic before beginning to take notes. 

Meanwhile, when doing research online you should always remember to use CAR sources. As you learned in fifth grade, research resources that you find or access through Town Library Online has CAR resources, but Wikipedia or some of the sites you may pull up through a general Google search may not be CAR resources. 

Credibility

Ask yourself:

  • Is the author expressing an opinion?
  • Is the information fair?

Accuracy

Ask yourself:

  • Is the information reliable?
  • Are there errors in spelling and grammar?
  • Are there dead links?
  • Were the facts checked by editors?

Responsibility

Ask yourself:

  • Who wrote this information?
  • Who published this site?
  • Why does the website, article or blog exist? Is it to sell something? Entertain? Inform?

Evaluation tips

TIP: Check to see when the article was written or updated!

TIP: Look at publication dates of any references cited.

.com = commercial
.org = nonprofit
.gov = US government
.edu = schools