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A lot of information on social media is bogus!
A lot of information on social media is bogus!
Science misinformation and disinformation is widespread, especially on social media (Source: 1).
The good news is that there are strategies you can use to help you filter out misinformation and poor-quality sources. Scroll down to learn more!
Some general tips:
Some general tips:
use click restraint! Instead of clicking on search engine results right away, scroll through the results and see what's there. Often the first results aren't the most relevant (eg they may be sponsored). (Source: 2).
use a strategy called lateral reading, which is used by expert fact checkers (Source: 2, 3). Lateral reading involves opening a new tab (or tabs) and reading about the source of information during your search.
use a filter (like the one below) that helps you walk through evaluation of sources as you search. (Source: 4).
whether you come across science information in your feed or are actively searching for it, remember that what you see online is impacted by many factors (such as your previous search / browsing history, sponsorship, and the algorithm of the particular site, etc) (Source: 2).
The CARP Filter for Science Information
(because it helps you filter out the ‘fishy’ stuff)
How do I use this filter?
How do I use this filter?
[more info coming soon] -
To download in different versions:
Sources:
Al-Zaman, M. S. (2021). Prevalence and source analysis of COVID-19 misinformation in 138 countries. IFLA Journal. https://doi.org/10.1177/03400352211041135
Clough, M. P., Herman, B.C., and Taylor, J. (2023). Features of science misinformation and disinformation efforts: Understand how to detect false information. Story Behind The Science. https://www.storybehindthescience.org/_files/ugd/790356_8b7e11c68d744df2b6ec39603e44963f.pdf
Brodsky, J. E., Brooks, P. J., Scimeca, D, Todorova, R., Galati, P., Batson, M., Brosso, R., Matthews, M, Miller, V, &Caulfield, M. (2021). Improving college students’ fact-checking strategies through lateral reading instruction in a general education civics course. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 6, 23. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-021-00291-4
Osborne, J., & Pimentel, D. (2022). Science, misinformation, and the role of education. Science, 378(6617), 246–248. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abq8093
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