SPCM 200: Public Speaking
Lesson Plan – Internet Source
Objective: Students will:
· Access various types of internet sources
· Determine the credibility of research sources
Materials Needed: Computer access for all students
Directions:
1. Divide the class into equal groups. Assign a random geographical location (Paris, China, the Indian Ocean, Utah) to each group.
2. Have the students find as much information on the location that they can in three minutes.
3. After three minutes, it is likely that they would have gone to wikipedia.org, or used some other online encyclopedia via a search engine. Explain to the students that the information found in this first three minutes is OK when trying to get a feel for a topic. However, it should only be used to start research, not act as a primary source.
4. Assign a new geographical location to each group. Instruct the group that in 20 minutes, they need to find sources with web links that end in only .gov, .org, or .net and compare that information to the information found in the quick search.
5. On the board, choose one group’s examples and compare in front of the class. Be sure to emphasize the importance of expert opinions and peer-reviewed journals. They will most likely be found in this second search.
6. After the comparison, have the students look for citation materials (date of last update, authors, host) on their quick search and advanced searched topics. Compare the presence of this material found in the sites. Be sure to hit on the importance of this information when citing the source.
Discussion Questions:
· Why are some sources better than others? How do we determine what makes a source “good” or “credible”?
· What differences did you notice in they types of sources you found?
· How does can taking time to thoroughly research a topic enhance the value of your speech?
Results: Give students another take-home topic and have them bring four credible internet sources back to school with them.