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ACP 101

Researching Basics

Tools

1. Use the DigiPo app to search Google other sites discussing the information

  • Highlight information  
  • Hover over highlight material
  • Right click
  • Select Search Google for...          
screenshot with arrows showing students how to access the Google shortcut in Digipo app

2. Search to see if images portrayed in the article have been used on other sites.

  • Right click on the image
  • Select Search Google for image
  • Check to see if and where image
    has been used (before and after the
    publication of this article
screenshot with arrow showing how to access history of image in Google

3. When is this considered a "fact"

  • Something generally not disputed
  • Told by people in a position to know
  • Who are inclined to tell the truth

Considerations

Is the information supported in other resources/evidence?

This is done by "reading vertically."

Yes         No          

(Explain)                                      

Have you researched or used a fact-checking site? What did you find?

(Note: This might be links to other online articles.)

Yes         No

What types of sources are cited? How many?

Have you checked out links to supporting sources?

(How many?)
 

Yes            No

(What types?)

Are there experts with different perspectives?

Yes            No (What do they say?)

Is the site biased?

Yes           No Explain

Are there spelling or grammar errors?

Yes            No Examples:

More Advanced Techniques

1. Use DigiPo extension to see if fact checking sites have evaluate the claim/statement. (Note: Not all sites have been fact checked.)

(Currently not functioning properly)

Fact Checking Sites: (Palmer Report Article)

  • Snopes
  • Politifact
  • Poligraph
  • Washington Post Fact-Checker

site: snopes.com Donald Trump owns stock in the Tomahawk missiles he used in Syria

2. Check to see if the Media Bias Fact Checking Icon gives you information about the site. (North Carolina's Discriminatory Voting ID Law)

  • Click on the MBFC icon
  • Read the bias description and information about the site                                    
Screenshot with arrow showing where to find the MBEC app on screen

3. B.S. Detector: Will indicate if the source has been determined to be trustworthy.

  • Click on the BS Detector icon
    (Note: It is not always available)
  • An indication bar will appear at the top of the page
  • This page is not considered reliable
  • It is considered to be CLICKBAIT (It contains many places that encourage users to click to go to other sites)
screenshot with arrows showing how to access the BS icon

4. Trusted Times: Analyzes 7,500+ news sources to help identify fake and unreliable news websites. The following questions will be answered: (Hong Kong Leader Caves: Orders Full Withdrawal of Extradition BillAfter months of protests, Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam withdraws controversial extradition billHong Kong government withdraws extradition bill, a key demand of protesters)

  • Can this news source be trusted?
  • What is the author's attitude towards the different subjects discussed in the article?
  • Does the author exhibit a pattern toward bias towards any subject?
  • Does the news source exhibit a pattern towards any subject?
  • What's the overall message (summary) of this article?
  • Icons will indicate:
    • Most likely not a news website
    • Reliable mainstream news website
    • Reliable website
    • Unreliable website
    • Fake news website

5. Check Hoaxy to see if claims made on social media sites are the original or if they have appeared on other social media sites.

  • Select phrase or sentence
  • Paste in to Hoaxy search
  • Look for related instances
  • Note dates and how many times accessed                                    
screenshot with arrows showng how to search HOAXY