This week we got dive back into the beloved book that Claufield and Wineberg about… THE INTERNET. Ooooo spooky topic for such a spooky time right?
In all seriousness, it isn’t that intimidating, and something that has been talked about throughout the books blogs. This time, focused on the wonderful topic of misinformation.
Misinformation can come in various forms. We firstly get to understand another possible way of removing that problem, through peer review. There is a fun little route in which those take for peer reviewing, also involving an editor, that ensures the information is legit. And we like it legit.
False information can lead to problems, and with the expansion of technology, false information is easier to come by. This can involve manipulating videos, or even having AI generated pieces that are supposed to look real. Third party companies also spread information for views that can either help them sell goods, or get clicks that can bring them their page even farther up the chain.
Using key attributes like SIFT and CRAAP (still my personal favorite) we can find out whether or not these are indeed real, and indenting the value of what we may be looking at.
As before, we talked about google not being what we think it is, Wikipedia is also another hot topic in the book, holding its own chapter and being something that we believe to be something else. Wiki is often look at as a false source, something drilled into the mind of ever middle schooler that starts a paper right? Well, while maybe making wiki a primary source isn’t the greatest idea, verified offers two outstanding routes to consider when looking for sources and using wiki.
First, it is a great starting point. While you might not be using Wiki to be your source itself, it is a good place to plant your feet and begin to find information on. The second point is wiki is a great third source, or a place to acknowledge where you found previous sources. Wiki is full of information, and can be used to help find tons of information. Not many younger researchers realize they need to find separate pages for sources, but rather that you can dig and look into what sources the first source you found may be pulling from.
Whether it is finding misinformation or using Wiki, verified knocks on the door of a few more major problems leading to value solutions.
Comments
7 responses to “Verified is Back in Black…. Well Green and White really.”
I think your point that the ever-expanding internet makes it easier for misinformation to spread is crucial. I like how you included the examples manipulating videos and AI generated pieces that look real. I think back to how in class we tried to listen to an AI generated podcast and it was scary how real it sounded. Who knows what they were programmed to promote, the bottom line is it sounded real. I remember thinking it sounded like me, which was scary.
I also like your mention of Wikipedia. I was always told Wiki is the devil of research papers, and to never go near it. I see how wrong and unhelpful that advice was. Wikipedia, as you stated, is a great source to use in research, and I wish I knew that for my entire college career.
I love how you highlight the relevance of Verified for our current era! Misinformation really is everywhere now, and it’s fascinating (and a little daunting) how much technology has made it easier to spread. You make a great point about peer review and editorial oversight being crucial—it’s refreshing to think about information being verified by real people who prioritize accuracy. Your post is a great reminder to stay vigilant with sources, especially with all the polished content that can still be misleading. Thanks for breaking it all down!
I still do not know whether to fault our middle school teachers for telling us that Wikipedia is bad. To be fair, back in the early 2010s, it had some issues. I will say that knowing the wide variety of uses for Wikipedia is super helpful. One thing I get more and more interested in is the policies of Wikipedia and how they work.
On the topic of misinformation, my favorite recommendation is that sometimes you will have to wait, which I believe is hard in today’s era, but is nevertheless important.
Overall, wonderful post!
I am incredibly impatient. Waiting to see if a source is credible is literal torture when I am used to finding out what I want to whenever I want. Incredibly lame of legitimate information to not make itself known immediately.
I really like how to summarize this chapter and bring in other chapters with mentions of SIFT and CRAAP. Misinformation is really dangerous, and Verified gives us methods on how to get around it and avoid it. The chapter on Wikipedia was one of my favorites because it challenged something I’d been told my whole life – that Wikipedia was the root of all evil and should be avoided at all costs. Being able to use the massive site for something is so validating, even if I’m just using it as a jumping-off point for research. Being able to gauge the credibility of what site you’re looking at, in any case, is a useful skill in this age of technology and misinformation.
I really like how to summarize this chapter and bring in other chapters with mentions of SIFT and CRAAP. Misinformation is really dangerous, and Verified gives us methods on how to get around it and avoid it. The chapter on Wikipedia was one of my favorites because it challenged something I’d been told my whole life – that Wikipedia was the root of all evil and should be avoided at all costs. Being able to use the massive site for something is so validating, even if I’m just using it as a jumping-off point for research. Being able to gauge the credibility of what site you’re looking at, in any case, is a useful skill in this age of technology and misinformation.
First of all thank you for bringing up CRAAP again because I can’t believe I forgot that wonderful acronym. I also really liked that the authors mentioned that while Wikipedia might not be the best site to use as a primary source it can be a great place to find other sources you might be able to use more directly. As a victim of the, “How dare you use Wikipedia you uncultured swine,” rhetoric I was really glad the authors finally blessed us with a chapter on why it isn’t quite so terrible as we were all led to believe.