Why is it important for a teacher to evaluate a website?

There are many facets to this question and really the answer applies to just about all research on the internet. As we all know anyone can create a website. So if we are using a website for research or information we need to know who our source is. In many instances there is a financial reason for the research information presented on websites. So make sure you have a valid source.
Once you know you have a valid source, what are they saying? Is the content appropriate for you audience? Is the language appropriate for the age? Is the information presented in a visually pleasing manner? We certainly don?t want to send students to a website full of advertisements or that will not be appealing and useful in their learning process.
So now you know you have a valid source and the information is presented appropriately. So is the information current? We need to make sure we aren?t teaching students something that isn?t the most current information available.
These are just some of the facets of this question. The reasons to evaluate websites are extensive. Using the internet is a powerful tool, but needs to be used with caution.