Navigating Internet Sources for Credibility

Navigating sources can feel overwhelming. There is no way teachers or students can keep up with the content produced daily (and archived) on the Internet. And as numerous studies have indicated, our students simply do not know how to analyze sources for reliability. Nothing like Oxford's word of the year for 2016, post-truth Links to an external site., paints a bleak picture of fact searching for our students.

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It is Not an Uphill Battle

If instructors can model research for students and teach them the critical skills needed to evaluate content, we not only help students create better projects, but we help them become better citizens.  

In the following pages, we will look at types of sources, how to scan for bias and truth, and how to engage students in critical thinking activities tied to such research. There are lesson plans on this topic at the end of this module.