Media Literacy: Evaluating Sources

Our lives are flooded with information. Whether scrolling on our phones, browsing on a computer, or turning on the TV, we are surrounded by news. But how do you know if it is accurate? You will need to perform what we refer to as Lateral Reading--comparing the information presented in your source to additional sources to see if the information is being reported with the same meaning. To start this process, you will need a top-down source assessment. 

CARE about Your Sources

How do you know if the resources, such as videos, magazine articles, memes, newspaper articles, news reports, podcasts, editorials, and more, are reliable and report accurate information? The first step is to examine the source by using the acronym CARE:

• C: Content, Creditibitily, Currency
  • Is it clear what the site is about?
  • Is the purpose of the content to offer factual information?
  • Does the information appear to be true? How do you know?
  • Is there a copyright or "date last updated" on the site?
  • If yes, is the date current enough for the information you are learning?
• A: Author & Authority, Accuracy, Audience
  • Who is the author, and what institution or company is behind the site? 
  • Is the author an authoritative/expert source?
  • Is the site free from spelling and grammatical errors?
  • Is the intended audience appropriate for my research? In other words, can I read and understand the information accurately?
  • Are there references or a list of sources on the site?
  • Can I contact the author or organization if I have questions?
• R: Reliability, Relevance, and Reasonableness 
  • Are there links to other relevant sources, and if so, do they work?
  • What is the domain, and who owns it?
  • Is the source helpful for my research question? 
  • Is the information objective? Can you ascertain the author's bias?
• E: Ease of Use, Efficiency, Emotion
  • Is it easy to find the information I need?
  • Is the website well-designed and organized to meet my needs?
  • If there are graphics or charts, does the data presented match the information on the website?
  • Is the intention of the source to invoke emotion?

Click Here for a Downloadable Worksheet

Why should you care whether your news is real or fake?

1. You deserve the truth.  You are smart enough to make up your mind - as long as you have the real facts in front of you.  You have every right to be insulted when you read fake news because you are, in essence, being treated like an idiot.
2. Fake news destroys your credibility.  If your arguments are built on bad information, it will be much more difficult for people to believe you in the future.
3. Fake news can hurt you and a lot of other people.  Purveyors of fake and misleading medical advice like Mercola.com and NaturalNews.com help perpetuate myths like HIV and AIDS aren't related or that vaccines cause autism.  These sites are heavily visited, and their lies are dangerous.
4. Real news can benefit you.  If you want to buy stock in a company, you want to read accurate articles about that company so you can invest wisely.  If you plan on voting in an election, you want to read as much good information on a candidate so you can vote for the person who best represents your ideas and beliefs.  Fake news will not help you make money or make the world a better place, but real news can.

Thanks to KT Lowe, Indiana University East Campus Library.