Image by Анна Куликова from Pixabay
Strategy: In a book, look towards the front for the publication year or copyright date. For an article, look at the top or bottom for a date. For a website, look at the top or bottom of the webpage.
Strategy: Do a Google search for the author's name and analyze the results.
Strategy: Search for an article, book, or website on the same topic and compare the information in both sources.
Strategy: Look at the content. Do you feel that it provides enough information and will be helpful for your topic?
Strategy: Read the text. Does it seem like the content simply conveys information, or is it trying to persuade?
Media is biased because we all have biases. It's important to read widely and check yourself and your assumptions. These sites all have strategies and suggestions.
Practice becoming a Lateral Reader: verify what you're reading as you are reading it.
Leave the site and open new tabs to judge the credibility of the original site.
♦ search for the site/article on fact-checking sites
♦ search for the owner or publisher of the site
♦ follow references back to the original sources
♦ research what other sites say about the source
Information Timeline Graphic by adstarkel. Used under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
