Information Literacy

 

 

Is it True??

Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.

~Daniel Patrick Moynihan

 

 

 

 

Start with Critical Thinking Skills - the ability to:

 

think systematically

see other perspectives

change your mind when new evidence arises

identify relevant versus irrelevant information

identify and discard logical fallacies

be aware of biases and avoid them

look beyond the obvious

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What makes you think human beings are sentient and aware? There's no evidence for it. Human beings never think for themselves, they find it too uncomfortable. For the most part, members of our species simply repeat what they are told-and become upset if they are exposed to any different view. The characteristic human trait is not awareness but conformity, and the characteristic result is religious warfare. Other animals fight for territory or food; but, uniquely in the animal kingdom, human beings fight for their 'beliefs.' The reason is that beliefs guide behavior which has evolutionary importance among human beings. But at a time when our behavior may well lead us to extinction, I see no reason to assume we have any awareness at all. We are stubborn, self-destructive conformists. Any other view of our species is just a self-congratulatory delusion. Next question. ~Michael Crichton from The Lost World

 

 

 

How do we usually judge information?

Senses (but are they always reliable?)

Reason (but can reasoning be faulty?)

Authority (but can we trust the authority?)

 

 

 

 

 

What about Social Media???

 

 

 

 

Where to go from here?

 

• Start with critical thinking: Why was it written? Who has something to gain? Who wrote it? Where did you find it? Begin with a healthy skepticism.

• Notice the Language: Is it objective? Is it inflammatory? Are they trying to make you angry?

• Read "About Us": Is there an affiliation with bias? Is this a trustworthy source? Is there detailed background information and email contacts?

• Check the source: Even if it looks official, check the URL. abcnews.com or abcnews.com.co ? Note the information vehicle source (magazine, flyer, website).

• Check the writing: Does the writing use proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation?

• Evaluate the information: Has the photo or video been edited?

 

 

Stanford Study Executive Summary

52% of students believed a video claiming to show ballot stuffing in the 2016 Democratic primaries was strong evidence of voter fraud in the U.S. The video was actually shot in Russia.

66 % of students could tell the difference between news stories and ads on Slate's homepage

96% of students did not consider why ties between a climate change website and the fossil fuel industry might lessen that website's credibility because the site had an .org or .com domain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Test Your Knowledge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Speaking of Research!!

 

 

Confirmation Bias

Favoring information that supports previously existing beliefs or opinions.

 

 

 

Media Bias

An example of media bias describing the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans:

"A picture described two white victims as 'finding' bread and soda a a local grocery store, while a picture of black survivors, also carrying bread, was labeled as 'looting.'"

from Other People's Children by Lisa Delpit

 

 

 

Tips for Analyzing News Sources

 

 

 

Dogmatism

Expressing an opinion or belief as if it were a fact.

 

 

Did they answer the question??

Mom: Have you finished your homework?

Son: I've done 2 pages of math

 

"Paltering"

Deceiving others with truthful statements; being deliberately unclear

 

10 Fake Music News Stories

 

8 Logical Fallacies that Are Hard to Spot

1. Appeal to privacy

2. Sunk cost fallacy

3. If-by-whiskey

4. Slippery slope

5. There is no alternative

6. Ad hoc arguments

7. Snow job

8. McNamara fallacy

 

 

 

 

 

Questions??

Created and maintained by Vicky V. Johnson