11 Why Fact-Checking?
Introduction
When you find a source of information, how do you know if it’s true? How can you be sure that it is a reliable, trustworthy, and effective piece of evidence for your research? This chapter will introduce you to a set of strategies you can use to quickly and effectively verify your sources based on the approach taken by professional fact-checkers. Fact-checking is a form of information hygiene—it can minimize your own susceptibility to misinformation and disinformation, and help you to avoid spreading it to others.
As an introduction, please watch the following video [3:51], which discusses why fact-checking information is vital for filtering out bad information. How can you know what information you can trust?
Note: Turn on closed captions with the “CC” button.
Concept Review Exercise: Social Media
Sources
This section includes material from the source book, Introduction to College Research, as well as the following:
“Inform Your Thinking: Episode 7 – Fact Checking.” YouTube, uploaded by OkStateLibrary, 3 August 2018. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Original material by book author Calantha Tillotson.
