This document provides instructions for students to evaluate websites about Tex-Mex food and culture in small groups. It lists four websites for the groups to review according to criteria on an evaluation rubric. The rubric examines the author's credentials, the content's objectivity and factuality, the date of the webpage, and the website domain. Based on these criteria, the students must determine whether each website is credible and appropriate for college-level academic research. They will then share their findings with the class.

1. Evaluating Websites Activity – Food & Culture FYS
1. In your small group, review and evaluate the assigned website according to the
four criteria on the Evaluating Websites sheet.
2. Complete the below evaluation rubric.
3. Determine whether the website is credible and appropriate for college-level
academic research.
4. Share your findings with the class.
Group 1: History of Tex-Mex. Ranked near top of Google search. From ehow.com.
http://www.ehow.com/about_5179353_history-tex-mex.html
Group 2: Tex Mex Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tex-Mex
Group 3: Tex Mex Foods. Link from Wikipedia References list:
http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/lgtlt
Group 4: Eating in America: Mexican-American, Ranked near top of Google search
when using Advanced Search and restricting to .edu domains.
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/5000/pdf/5255.pdf
Evaluation Rubric
Author and/or Organization: ___________________________
Clearly stated and Hard to find but Not credible/credentials Unable to
academically credible academically do not quality author or determine author
and appropriate credible organization for this topic or credentials
Content
Factual and Factual but biased Not factual, and Unable to determine
unbiased biased factual nature
Currency: Date of webpage: ___________________
Date clearly visible. Date clearly visible, but Date not available
Revised recently. older.
Website Domain: _________
.gov or .edu (official) .org .com .edu (personal) other
Conclusion
This website is:
Credible and Somewhat credible, but not the best Not credible and not
appropriate for source for academic use (Find a appropriate for academic
academic use more appropriate website) use
Created by Beth M. Transue, MLS. Messiah College Murray Library. btransue@messiah.edu