1. Skills
  2. Writing
  3. B1 writing
  4. Checking out websites

Checking out websites

A student browses a website on a laptop

Look at the article for a school magazine and do the exercises to improve your writing skills.

Instructions

Do the preparation exercise first. Then read the text and do the other exercises.

Preparation

Reading

Checking out websites

Nowadays, students often use the internet for school work or homework. If we need information for an essay or project, we can find it online quickly and easily.

However, there are millions of websites. Some of them have accurate information, but some do not. This is why we should evaluate a website before we accept what it is telling us.

Imagine you have found an article that seems useful. Here are some tips to help you evaluate it.

  • First, check the URL. It may tell you something about the website, its creator, its purpose and its country of origin.
  • Then, think about the purpose of the writing. Is it to inform you or to teach you, or is it to promote something to you? For example, if the article is telling you all about a famous politician and how important and amazing they are, be careful. Its real purpose may be to make you vote for them, so the information in it may not be objective.
  • Next, check the writer's credentials. Look for a link to their 'About me' page so you can read more about their education and experience. Is he or she a professional in this area? Do you think this person is qualified to write about the subject?
  • After that, check to see whether any information has been taken from another website. If it has, go to the original source to check that the information hasn't been changed.
  • Also, look at the date of publication. Old articles can be unreliable because they miss out the latest evidence, or because the situation has recently changed.
  • Finally, weigh everything up and decide if you trust the information.

Unfortunately, there is no way to be 100% sure that a site is trustworthy, so you need to consider all these factors and then decide whether you trust it. If you publish your own writing on a blog or website, some of these tips may help improve your own writing too. Give links and references to your information sources, and mention your own credentials and experience.

Top Tips for writing

  1. Use a catchy title to get people interested.
  2. Start by introducing the topic and give some background information, e.g. Nowadays, students often use the internet ...
  3. Then, explain the possible problem, e.g. However, there are millions of websites ...
  4. Use link words (e.g. First; Then) to give information step by step. Use bullet points to present the steps clearly or, alternatively, write them in a paragraph.

Worksheets and downloads

Checking out websites - exercises676.62 KB
Checking out websites - answers271.09 KB
Checking out websites - article537.15 KB
Checking out websites - writing practice180.42 KB
Discussion

What do your teachers say about using the internet for research? 

Language level
B1 Intermediate
Topics
writing
study skills
digital literacy
internet
Average: 5 (3 votes)
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Comments

Submitted by pomelo on Fri, 03/24/2023 - 15:08

My teachers say a lots of thing about using internet for research because nowadays students prefer use internet for every research

Submitted by Rhylan on Mon, 04/11/2022 - 17:17

Sometimes have a exercise intended to be made like use Internet for research. I think Internet can be useful for students in more ways, because Internet include much more information in different areas. My teachers believes in that also bun they also thinks studends don't use Internet useful. And Yes, they are right. If we use Internet to improve or learn something we are be the best.

Submitted by Msharymnn on Fri, 10/23/2020 - 13:36

my teachers love the pepole who knows about internet and have good knolwedge about programs for it they aalways be the pepole who runs the computer of the class and if any problem happens they call those students i think i'm good at technolgy but i don't knoe how to show them that i'm

Submitted by Mamou1 on Mon, 08/24/2020 - 09:53

What do your teachers say about using the internet for research? My teachers say a lots of thing about using internet for research because nowadays students prefer use internet for every research. First they say don't trust all the information you find in internet they maybe false you should be careful. Then, do not use internet for every search go check also in the encyclopedia in the newspaper or go to the library to find information. Also, visit other link, website to compare what is better for you and what give you the best answer for your search. Finally they say if you find something in the internet don't do plagiary don't copy and past try how you can say it in your word. that way you also learn something .
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Submitted by Andrii on Wed, 06/17/2020 - 15:48

My teacher often gives me homework, like "Choose a famous person, find information about him and write it". I quickly find information, usually on "Wikipedia", and I also have to choose interest information and delete the unnecessary.

Submitted by TR790 on Mon, 05/18/2020 - 17:03

My teachers say that internet is very helpful for research but we must be careful while using it.

Submitted by Makam on Mon, 02/10/2020 - 15:58

they say me that it's very useful, but I need to know how to use it.

Submitted by Elife on Sun, 02/09/2020 - 20:19

My teachers says that the internet is good for research, because it's an important tool to search for anything.

Submitted by lancer on Thu, 11/28/2019 - 20:22

My teacher says that Internet is good for health research. How to stay health First, We have to eat technicailly. Now it's an era of lots of something to eat. If we eat much as we want, we become fat and unhealthy. It's necessary to avoid much meat, but to eat much vegetable. Then, I think it's important to do sports much. With time goes by, physical work becomes smaller, intellectual work increases. We spend more time sitting on chair than walking. Sports is good for our health becase we can breathe in fresh air and sweat. Next, Another importance is to sleep well. If you don't sleep engouh, your health will bad. After that, It's said laughing is good for health. When you laugh much, at that time many cells increases rapidly. To live long, To laugh a lot. It's my thought. Finally, The most important is to keep slef-confidence. Without self-confidence, we wouldn't achive any result.

Submitted by Thu on Tue, 07/09/2019 - 07:53

Internet is good but it doesn't mean it's not bad. All of my friend's parents, maybe don't care about their child. They just bought for their child a smartphone then they ignored them. Now, when break time coming, they put out their phone from the schoolbags and just glued to the screen. In my class, who have their own phone, so they have their glasses, too. :
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Submitted by Youjiro on Sat, 01/19/2019 - 08:49

My teacher don't like searching on the internet . They don't welcome outside resource , They say every student say same things because student use the internet . In addition it is poor information especially science field . It is not enough to learn math physics chemistry . However some websites provide effective education for student. Usage of website is learn things what is week point . I accept website that help education . To sum up Student need divide website it is good or not . many student use the internet that is prove student is want to help more learning subjects.
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Submitted by StellaLima on Thu, 01/25/2018 - 17:22

Internet has helped students to get the latest knowledge in what their researching about
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