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IDH3035 / Lessons in Life and Leadership

Library Research Guide created Spring 2023 for Dr. Maidique's course. Updated Summer 20024.

What do the Pros do?

Become a Professional Fact Checker!

  • Use the web!  Can you find other sources that verify the information you found? The pros always turn to other sources to verify the legitimacy of a source. Open multiple tabs (this is called lateral reading). Do a search for the authors/organization/association. What do you find?

Link to Lateral Reading Video

  • The pros use Wikipedia's Talk page.  Use Wikipedia to your advantage by checking the references and using the Talk page. The Talk page shows how the article's claims are established, disputed and if need be modified.

Wikipedia screenshot

 

  • The pros never take the About page at face value.  Always question the About page of a website. Think of your friend's Instagram page. They look fun, happy, and popular all of the time because that is the image they want to portray. The same for About pages.

 

  • We all know anybody can pay to have a well-designed website. Fancy doesn't equal factual.

 

  • The pros are not fooled by links to reputable and reliable sources; because they can be an attempt to fool you.

 

Is that a Fact?