How to Identify Fake News
In a world in which fake news exists, you cannot be a passive consumer of information and expect to encounter only the truth. Academics have to be critical of biases and falsehoods that exist in information, especially in news sources that cover controversial or political topics. A major part of academic work is learning to critically assess information. You can learn more about how to identify fake news by asking questions, knowing the technical characteristics of online news sources, and conducting contextual research.
The SIFT method encourages information seekers to use four moves when evaluating information online: stop, investigate the source, find better sources, and trace to the original context.
You can learn more about the SIFT method and even take an online course called Check Please!, which teaches you how to fact and source-check in five easy lessons.
Some quick tips are also included in the infographic below, which you can cut out and paste near your computer for future use.
Quick Tips
Image Source: On the Media