How to avoid becoming a victim of misinformation? False information is a threat because a person guided by it can harm himself and other people. In order not to get into trouble, it is very important to be able to check the information received for reliability. Only information that is true can be considered reliable.
You will need
- Library card
- Internet access
- Ability to work with library catalogs
- Ability to work with Internet search services
Instruction manual
1
Find out what you are dealing with - a fact or an assessment. The first thing we encounter when getting new information is the facts. Facts are information that has already been verified for accuracy. Information that has not been verified or that cannot be verified is not a fact. Facts can be numbers, dates, names, events. Everything that can be touched, measured, listed, confirmed. Facts are provided by various sources - research institutes, sociological agencies, statistical agencies, etc. The main thing that distinguishes a fact from an assessment is objectivity. Evaluation always expresses someone’s subjective position, emotional attitude, call for some action. The fact does not give any assessment, does not call for anything.
2
Check the sources of information The second thing we are faced with is the sources of information. Not all facts can be verified on our own, so our knowledge is largely based on trust in the sources. How to check the source of information? It is known that the criterion of truthfulness is practice, in other words, only that with which we can solve a specific problem is true. Information must be effective. This effectiveness is reflected in the number of people who have successfully applied this information. The more people trust the source, refer to it, the more reliable the information provided.
3
Compare sources of information Fortunately, the popularity and credibility of the source is not a guarantee of reliability. One of the signs of reliable information is its consistency. Any fact must be confirmed by the results of independent studies, i.e. he must be repeated. Independent researchers must come to the same conclusions. Random, isolated information must be treated with great care. The more identical information received from different sources, the more reliable this information.
4
Check the reputation of the source of information The fact is that the source is always responsible for the facts provided. This responsibility is not only moral, but also material. Organizations that provide them with dubious data may lose their livelihoods. Losing readers, a fine, or even imprisonment — the consequences for liars can be dire. Reputable organizations protect their reputation and will never take risks by publishing false information. Read the organization’s history, find out the names of its leaders, read reader reviews and expert opinions.
5
Learn about the author of the source of information Any information is ultimately transmitted by people. If you are in doubt, check who the author is. Read other works of the author, find out his biography, whether he has a scientific degree, what position he holds, what experience he has in this field, and, of course, whom he refers to. If it is impossible to learn about the author, then trusting dubious information is not recommended.
note
Information that cannot be verified for accuracy is meaningless.
Useful advice
Before looking for information, clearly state the problem you want to solve. This will reduce the likelihood that you will be misinformed.
When reading, pay attention to the consistency of the presentation of the material and the number of grammatical errors. A large number of errors and logical inconsistency already indicate that this information is not trustworthy.
- Reliability of information on the Internet
- The concept of reliability of a historical source
