Information Needs and Strategies for Finding Information and Algorithmic Bias

OVERVIEW
Welcome to Module 3! In the previous module you learned about discerning your information needs, strategies for finding information, and algorithmic bias. In this module you will begin evaluating sources. You will also be introduced to media and news literacy, which connect to information literacy and require critical thinking and evaluation skills. Developing these skills will empower you to be a more discerning consumer, professional, and citizen.

Every day we navigate a landscape that bombards us with news, opinion, rumors, data, advertisements, and misinformation. If we can’t tell what’s what, we risk damage to our reputation, our careers, our finances, and even our relationships. Module 3 will empower you to evaluate news, media, and other information sources by asking important questions and using techniques such as lateral reading. Your keen eye for credibility will serve you well, both in your life and in the remaining modules of this course.

TOPICS
Module 3 covers the following topics:

Five core concepts of media literacy Lateral reading
Evaluating information based on currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose

OBJECTIVES
After successfully completing Module 3, you should be able to:

MO 3.1 Define key concepts related to news literacy, media literacy, and information sources. [CO 2, CO 4]

MO 3.2 Apply the five core concepts of media literacy. [CO 2, CO 4, CO 5]

MO 3.3 Evaluate articles for currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose. [CO 2, CO 4, CO 5]

STUDY MATERIALS

Required Resources

Center for Media Literacy. (n.d.). An intro to CML’s five core concepts & five key questions. In The on-ramp to media literacy.

Center for Media Literacy. (2021). Media literacy: 5 key questions.

Crash Course. (2019, February 19). Evaluating photos and videos: Crash Course navigating digital information #7 [Video]. YouTube.

Kiely, E., & Robertson, L. (2016, November 18). How to spot fake news. FactCheck.org.

Common Sense Media for Families. (2017, January 31). 5 ways to spot fake news [Video]. YouTube.

Bernnard, D., Bobish, G., Hecker, J., Holden, I., Hosier, A., Jacobson, T., Loney, T., & Bullis, D. (n.d.). Evaluate: Assessing your research process and findings. In The information literacy user’s guide: An open, online textbook.

Thomas Edison State University. (n.d.). Evaluating sources.

Carillo, E., & Horning, A. (n.d.). Effectively and efficiently reading the credibility of online sources. In D. Driscoll, M. Heise, M. Stewart, & M. Vetter (Eds.), Writing spaces: Readings on writing (Volume 4, pp. 35–50).

Crash Course. (2019, February 12). Evaluating evidence: Crash Course navigating digital information #6 [Video]. YouTube.

Issac, J. (2020, September 3). Why people fall for misinformation [Video]. TED Conferences.

Discussion Forum 3
In Discussion Forum 3, post your response to the following discussion question. Reply to at least two classmates’ responses by the date indicated in the Course Calendar. [MO 3.2]

Choose a media text (e.g., TV show, Instagram reel, commercial, influencer post, YouTube video) and evaluate it using the five key questions of media literacy.

First, describe the media text that you selected and, if possible, provide a link to it. You can also provide a screenshot or other attachment of your media text. Then, answer each question with at least three sentences of analysis.

In your responses, note the similarities and differences between what you found with your selected media text and what your classmates found. If you’re able to access the media text they selected, look for additional important information that they might have missed. Add whatever thoughts you have, and feel free to ask your classmate questions about their conclusions.

Written Assignment 3
In Discussion Forum 2, you searched for articles related to a specific topic. Hopefully, after refining your search techniques, you ended up finding some interesting articles. Choose two articles and evaluate them using the criteria listed under the section, Evaluating Resources in Practice, (currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose) in the chapter “Evaluate: Assessing your Research Process and Findings.”

After evaluating both articles, compare your results. Would both articles be suitable for use in a research paper about your specific topic? Is one article more helpful than the other in terms of currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose for your topic? Explain.

Your paper should be 500 to 1000 words in length (2 to 4 pages). Provide citation information for both articles. You will do a deeper dive into citations in the next module, but for now be sure to include any important information (title, author(s), publication date, publication name, and a link if possible) so that your mentor can locate the articles. [MO 3.3]

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