New
New
Year 7

The credibility of sources

I can evaluate the credibility of online sources to help me with my own work.

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New
New
Year 7

The credibility of sources

I can evaluate the credibility of online sources to help me with my own work.

Link copied to clipboard

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Digital content should be analysed for credibility
  2. Checking the author, source, purpose, date and facts is used to evaluate the credibility of online sources.

Keywords

  • Source - where information comes from, such as from a website, a book, a person, or any other place where information is found

  • Credibility - how trustworthy or believable a source of information is; a credible source is one that is reliable and accurate

Common misconception

All information that is found on the internet is true.

Anyone can create a website. Check who wrote it, when and if the facts are correct. Don't believe everything you see without checking first!


To help you plan your year 7 computing lesson on: The credibility of sources, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Stress the importance of checking the publication date. Use examples of outdated information to illustrate how time-sensitive some online content can be.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Why is it important to select images appropriately for their context?
to avoid copyright issues
to ensure they fit the purpose of the content
to make the content visually appealing
Correct answer: all of the above
Q2.
What gives the owner rights to control how a piece of work is used?
Correct Answer: copyright
Q3.
What is a Creative Commons licence?
a licence that allows unrestricted use of content
Correct answer: a licence that sets rules for how content can be used, shared, or modified
a licence to sell digital content
a licence that removes copyright protection
Q4.
What should you check before using an image online?
its resolution
its file size
Correct answer: its copyright and licensing information
its colour scheme
Q5.
What is the consequence of using copyrighted material without permission?
Correct answer: Legal action can be taken against you.
The content becomes public domain.
You gain ownership of the material.
It’s perfectly fine if no one notices.
Q6.
Which of the following is an example of a Creative Commons licence condition?
Attribution is required.
Content must not be modified.
Content cannot be used commercially.
Correct answer: All of the above

6 Questions

Q1.
What is a common mistake when evaluating online content?
Correct answer: believing everything you read online
checking the author's qualifications
verifying the facts
evaluating the purpose of the content
Q2.
Match the term to its definition.
Correct Answer:source,where information comes from

where information comes from

Correct Answer:credibility,how trustworthy a source is

how trustworthy a source is

Correct Answer:bias,favouring one perspective

favouring one perspective

Correct Answer:author,the creator of the content

the creator of the content

Q3.
What does credibility mean?
Correct answer: how trustworthy a source is
how popular a website is
how recent the web page was updated
if a lot of people like it
Q4.
What should you check when evaluating a source?
only the author
the website's popularity
only the purpose of the content
Correct answer: the author, date and facts
Q5.
What is a source?
A person who verifies facts.
Correct answer: A place where information comes from.
A tool used to create content.
A website that publishes news.
Q6.
Why is it important to check the date of online information?
Correct answer: to ensure it is still relevant
to confirm the author's identity
to find the source of the content
to make the content more popular