NAVIGATING DIGITAL INFORMATION

LEARN TO IDENTIFY FACT FROM FICTION

This page contains information on how to be an informed consumer of online information, using Crash Course’s videos as a starting point. Learn how to tell truth from lies, facts from fiction, good evidence from bad evidence by watching each YouTube playlist and the linked information below.

Watched all the videos, followed all the links and still want more? Check out this Resource List! Also, this handout from recent CWU course on Misinformation & Malarkey (used with author’s permission).

INTRODUCTION

Join us in this 10-part series to learn hands-on skills you need to evaluate the information you read online. Learn to separate truth from opinion.

DECIDING WHO TO TRUST

Learn strategies to help you identify credible sources and evaluate a source’s point of view.

EVALUATING PHOTOS & VIDEOS

With the amount of fake and doctored photos and videos out there, how can we know what to trust?

SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media shapes both our online and offline behaviors from how we engage in communities and consume goods and services to influencing our thoughts and opinions. So let’s talk about how they really function – the good stuff and also the terrible stuff.

FACT CHECKING

We love the internet! It’s a wealth of information but much of what we see is false, misleading, or half the story. Learn the facts about facts!

USING WIKIPEDIA

It’s not perfect, but used as a general reference, it is incredibly powerful. Learn how to use Wikipedia to better evaluate information and find trustworthy primary sources.

DATA & INFOGRAPHICS

Let’s discuss how numbers, like statistics, and visual representations like charts
and infographics can be used to help us better understand the world or profoundly deceive.

Still want more? Check out Savvy Media Consumer Slides and crash course on YouTube

LATERAL READING

You don’t cross an intersection without looking both ways, right? Check out Episode 3 and learn how to use lateral reading to do real-time fact checking.

EVALUATING EVIDENCE

How can you tell good evidence from bad evidence? Watch this episode!

CLICK RESTRAINT

The architecture of the social internet itself tells us not to be patient – to load more tweets, to hit refresh for new posts, and to click the top search results. Let’s learn a little self-restraint…