What can you do to help stop the spread of bad information and ensure that it does not reach your research paper? Here are some critical thinking skills to apply
You may want to pass along, or write about, some interesting new information you have seen, But the best thing you can do to halt misinformation is to simply stop and think. If you have any doubts, stop and check it out further.
Before you include the information in your paper, or pass it on, ask some basic questions about where the information comes from.
It should make you hesitate if the source is "my friend's dad" or "my mom's neighbor"
The most reliable sources of information remain experts in various fields, and heads of bodies like the Centers for Disease Control, the American Heart Association. Experts are not infallible,but they are more reliable than a stranger's FaceBook post.
Appearances can be deceiving. Hackers and others can and have manipulated and impersonated official reports and bodies, including the respected news outlets and US government departments. Screenshots can be changed to make it look like information has come from a trusted source. Capital letters and mismatched fonts are something official fact-checkers use as an indicator a post might be misleading - so you should be alert for these too.
Don't use or share information "just in case" they might be true. You might ruin an otherwise good research paper, or be responsible to adding to the spread of fake news.
Sometimes something you read or hear is a mix of accurate and inaccurate advice.Then you might be willing to believe that the entire article/speech/paper is true because you know for certain that one of the tips (for example the necessity of thorough hand washing during the time of Covid-19) is true.
But that's not always so. Take the time to check ALL the information.
It's the stuff that gets us fearful, angry, anxious, or joyful that we tend to share and write about, But...are you sharing something because you know it's true - or just because you agree with it?.Experts say we're more likely to share posts that reinforce our existing beliefs.
You found the perfect source that seems to fit perfectly with your topic,!! Tempting - but remember that not all information is good information, especially in an online environment. The librarians at California State University-Chico developed the CRAAP Test as a handy acronym to use for evaluation - and it can apply to all informational resources! CRAAP cleverly contains a list of questions to ask yourself when deciding whether or not a source is credible enough to use in your research paper. CRAAP stands for Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose.
The CRAAP test is only one method for evaluating content. There are other methods out there that may be more appropriate to particular types of sources including IMVAIN (Independent, Multiple,Verify, Authoratative/Informed, Named)(see opposite), and RADAR (Relevance, Authority, Date, Appearance, Reason)
Deconstruct and evaluate each source using the “IMVAIN” rubric: