Online source credibility is the focus of this Grade 9 Computer Science worksheet, helping students evaluate whether digital information is trustworthy before accepting a claim as true. Students examine authorship, evidence, bias, purpose, date, and verifiability while comparing online claims and explaining which sources are better supported. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

Teach students what makes a source credible

The lesson begins with authorship and evidence. Students consider whether readers can identify who created the information and whether the source provides facts, data, citations, quotes, links, or other details that can be checked. They also learn why unsupported statements are harder to verify, even when they sound confident.

Bias, purpose, and date add another layer to the evaluation process. Students examine how persuasive language or missing details can shape a message, why the reason a source was created matters, and how older information may become less useful when research or events change what is known.

Credibility checks students apply

• Identify clear authorship and supporting evidence
• Recognize possible bias and the purpose behind a source
• Explain why publication dates can affect credibility
• Use verifiability to decide whether claims can be confirmed
• Compare online posts and justify which claim is better supported

Move from checking facts to defending an evaluation

A dialogue, matching activity, cloze passage, labeled diagram, and reading passage introduce the credibility vocabulary and evaluation process. Multiple-choice and true-or-false questions ask students to judge evidence, authorship, bias, purpose, dates, and verifiability in online examples. Short-answer prompts require students to name credibility checks, explain what verifiability means, and describe why dates matter.

The extended response asks students to evaluate a website claim that a computer update makes all passwords hack-proof. Students must apply several credibility checks and explain what evidence or source details they would look for before deciding whether to trust the claim.

Teacher support included

A separate teacher guide PDF includes learning objectives, teaching tips, discussion questions, and common mistakes. Use this source credibility worksheet during a Digital Citizenship unit, before online research assignments, or when teaching students to evaluate claims they encounter on websites and social media. The resource gives students a structured method for deciding why one source deserves more trust than another.