Welcome to TAPAteach A Website Evaluation Tool

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Welcome to TAPAteachA Website Evaluation Tool
Created by Eve Benson, Patrick Briggs, Debbie
Clingingsmith and Glee Mellor
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TAPAteach A program for web site evaluation
TAPAteach shows students how to evaluate web
sites in four easy steps.
Tapa cloth comes from the bark of mulberry trees
and is part of the tropical and subtropical
cultures. The process involves bounding strips of
bark together and decorating with a geometric
design. Each piece is original and authentic.
But, what does this have to do with web site
evaluation? Ask yourself next time you are
researching on the web, is this web site original
and authentic? Can I trust the information? How
do I know? Follow the TAPAteach process to
discover a simple and quick method for web site
evaluation.
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TAPAteach
TAPAteach evolved out of a need for students to
learn how to critically analyze web sites for
research based projects. The TAPAteach process
is a simple four step method that allows students
to detect a fraudulent web site. TAPAteach
instructs students to look inside the website as
well as outside when evaluating its validity.
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Theme - What is the web site theme? Is it
informational, advocacy, merchandising,
entertainment, personal, or news and
journalism?
Argument - What is the primary message of the
website?
Proof - How does the web site prove or support
its primary message? Analysis -
Use the Analysis Worksheet to analyze the
information you have discovered in Theme,
Argument, and Proof. Compare the web site
information with information you have from
other sources.
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Step 1- (Determine Theme) What is the theme of
the web site? informational, Advocacy,
Merchandising, Entertainment, Personal, home
page, News and journalism, Other
Step 2- (Identify Argument) What is the author
of the web site trying to convince you to
accept?Examples Informational This is a
picture of the Declaration of Independence from
the National Archives web site Advocacy
http//www.sierraclub.org/, the Sierra Club
advocates environmental protection organization
Merchandising www.amazon.com, www.ebay.com-
both sell products Personal home page contain
personal pictures, ie. Pets News and Journalism
http//sacbee.com/, Sacramento newspaper
weather forecast
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Step 3- (Identify the Information that Proves the
Argument) What information does the author
provide that proves the argument? Examples
Informational For the Declaration of
Independence from the National Archives web
site, the proof is the image of the Declaration
itself. Advocacy http//www.sierraclub.org/,
the Sierra Club advocates environmental
protection organization the proof is identified
in their issue statement. Merchandising
www.amazon.com, www.ebay.com the proof is the
item description and the price Personal home
page proof is the picture itself News and
Journalism http//sacbee.com/, Sacramento
newspaper the weather info
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Step 4- (Put it all together by comparing the web
sites information with other resources web
sites.)
Is there consistency with the information between
the website, other websites and resources? When
was the web site created, last updated? How
current is the information? Where do the links
from the web site link? What web sites link to
this web site?Final Step Decide whether or not
to use the web site based on your analysis.
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Points to Consider
http//www.anovember.com/infolit/index.htmlThis
web site, by Alan November, is comprehensive and
complete, covering the Internet experience.
Provides many goods tips along the way.
www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/webcrit.html
This site reviews web site appearance.
http//school.discovery.com/schrockguide/eval.html
This is Kathy Schrocks site regarding critical
evaluation skills and the Internet