Agreements and Disagreements: What’s the Point?!

Verified, written by Mike Caulfield and Sam Wineburg, is an informational guide on how to tell what is real and what isn’t on the internet. This book makes a point not to trust the websites we want to trust. We are reminded that some of the most professional-looking websites are meant to fool us. We must not use all its information because not all of it is trustworthy. Since everyone has their own unique way of gathering information, using both your gut feeling and a little common sense can help you get the most out of Google’s search results.

Expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness are three important key takeaways when deciding on the article, site, and author. Some sites pay Google so people can see their results first, so clicking Google’s top or sponsored results is not always the best option. Click restraint will help you observe the information; however, as the book states, “look, but don’t click.” Use lateral reading and other tabs to dissect the information and see what is accurate and what is false.

When writing essays or research papers, do not rely on just one article; get a second or third opinion so that the information makes sense. Observing links and URLs in search results will show which website will help you get the information you need. Verified’s chapter five covers several topics, such as analyzing websites and relying on more than one expert. It further elaborates on how these observations can be done by discussing types of agreements and disagreements.

Chapter five’s explanation of the different types of agreements and disagreements is important when navigating the internet for research. Competing theories consist of multiple explanations, and most experts agree with one or another. No idea is dominant since they are all competing. Majority and minority has only one widely accepted theory, and some experts support one side or the other. Consensus is when the evidence is so compelling that the question is answered and has moved on to other questions and theories. I think a good example is the flat Earth theory. Scientists have proved the curvature of the Earth, but some theorists continue to prove that it is flat. Uncertainty is when most experts are uncertain or doubtful about a theory or theories. Fringe was a bit confusing for me, honestly. I believe it is information on a theory that is not considered by experts.

The point in learning these types of agreements and disagreements is to identify the expert’s perspective or side of an argument or theory. If it is unidentifiable, then it may be best to move on to another article.