There are several things you should look for when deciding whether a website is easily readable:

  • Pictures--Do the pictures match the text and provide more information? Or do they appear off-topic? If the pictures to be advertisements for a product or centered around a different topic that the website, this could be an indication that this site does not contain the best information.
  • Design--Does the site appear well put together? Is the text spelled correctly? Is it easy to follow the flow of the page? Check to see if the website looks professional. There shouldn't be grammar and spelling mistakes. It should be easy to navigate throughout the page and find the information you need. Sub-topics may often be included to help break down the length of the page into smaller, more manageable sections.
  • Search Engine--Is this search engine intended for kids to use? Many search engines are designed with adults in mind, such as Google, Yahoo, and Ask. These can be still be used, but you might have a better chance of finding a website written for kids by using a kid-friendly search engine. Some examples are KidRex and AskKids . If you decide to use Google, Yahoo, or Ask, you might decide to include the words "for kids" when searching. For instance, if I were searching for information on tigers, I could use the search phrase "tiger information for kids".
  • Readability--Can you read and understand the information on this page? Think about the website as if it were a book. Decide whether it would be at your reading level. If you read the first few paragraphs and are confused about what it is saying, chance are it is too difficult. If you read the first few paragraphs and feel that the information is very basic, you may decide you need additional information from another website to finish your research. Try and find websites that are just right!
Last modified: Wednesday, 22 June 2011, 6:58 PM