Evaluating Sources
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Look for the following techniques used to convince readers that what they are reading is fact when it may not be:
1. Persuasive (“loaded”) language — words and sentences that solicit a positive or negative response from the reader or that lead the reader to the specific conclusion. 2. Misquoting a source— when reporters reword, paraphrase or manipulate a statement or source’s information 3. Selective facts —taking information out of context or picking only information that supports the argument and leaving the rest out. 4. Distortion or stretching the facts—making issues more extreme by using misinformation or exaggeration. 5. Flawed research —basing a claim on too small a sample, manipulating statistics, using “fuzzy science” or “bad math,” failing to report contrary conclusions from other scientists. |
Website Evaluation
SPIDER
Source author and credentials (educational background, past writings, expertise)
Purpose sales? information? objectivity?
Information current? pub date? last updated?
Domain .edu? .com? .gov? etc.
Educational reading level? depth?
Reliability do other sources replicate info?
Source author and credentials (educational background, past writings, expertise)
Purpose sales? information? objectivity?
Information current? pub date? last updated?
Domain .edu? .com? .gov? etc.
Educational reading level? depth?
Reliability do other sources replicate info?