This chapter discusses the history of source evaluation methods within the ever-changing field of information literacy, including a critical assessment of one popular approach, the CRAAP Test. The author then endorses an alternative approach, lateral reading, which encourages students to engage more deeply when evaluating digital resources in an…

Misinformation and disinformation about science have reached alarming levels. Here, we summarize a recent expert report, "Science Education in an Age of Misinformation," that outlines what science education can do to address this problem and, given the urgency, has to do. We highlight the significance of teaching how the social practices…

Misinformation, or incorrect information, in all forms is a recent and widespread threat. While information literacy methods, such as the CRAAP method and the RADAR framework, more research is necessary to determine prevalence and effectiveness of these methods. In this mixed-methods survey, I evaluated Gen Z information seekers' experience with…

In present-day digital environments, people frequently encounter content from sources of questionable trustworthiness. Advertising is an untrustworthy source because its purpose is to persuade consumers rather than to provide impartial information. One factor known to enhance the perceived truth of advertising claims is repetition: Repeated…

We adapted and evaluated the effects of a classroom intervention (extension of https://doi-org.bibliotheek.ehb.be/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2018.04.006) on undergraduates' sourcing skills. Students (n = 266) received either a teacher-led intervention (trained group) or regular classes (control group) and were assessed before, after, and 6 to 8 weeks after the…

This study investigated how sixth graders' credibility evaluation self-efficacy was associated with their ability to evaluate the credibility of online texts. Students (N = 265, M[subscript age] = 12.45) worked in a web-based environment, where they read and evaluated two more credible texts and two less credible texts that required confirming and…

To successfully learn using freely available (and non-curated) Internet resources, university students need to search for, critically evaluate and select online information, and verify sources (defined as Critical Online Reasoning, COR). Recent research indicates substantial deficits in COR skills among higher education students. To support…

Using a transnational lens, this narrative study examines the online information literacies of six Chinese international graduate students in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data of the study were collected from phenomenological interviewing, weekly information-seeking dairies, and focus group discussions. This study…

This study explores differences among strategies used by eighth grade students with varying degrees of success in determining the credibility of an online website. A concurrent think-aloud protocol elicited verbal reports of what the students were thinking as they sought to determine the credibility of the site and screen recording software…

Teachers need new instructional strategies and systemwide support to educate students about the threats that racism, hyper-partisanship, and disinformation pose to democracy. Nicole Mirra, Sarah McGrew, Joseph Kahne, Antero Godina Garcia, and Brendesha Tynes explore the three major elements of digital citizenship education -- safety and civility,…

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of young students' prior attitude on source consideration when watching videos on controversial topics. Two hundred seventy-one seventh graders watched a series of videos in which two interviewees (one expert in the field, one layperson) expressed divergent positions on a socioscientific issue…

During crisis contexts, information is both critical for user's decision making and simultaneously challenging to evaluate. When online information's credibility is ambiguous, young learners are challenged to evaluate rapidly evolving online information. This study sought to explore how 8th-grade students evaluated an ambiguously credible Tweet…

The current study examined the actions and thought processes second grade students experience while reading online, implementing a research based teaching strategy for new literacies, and Internet Reciprocal Teaching (IRT). In particular, strategies for how to critically evaluate online text were introduced to second grade students. Through IRT,…

The organization of sources into layers may have an impact on the way readers evaluate conflicting documents online. Two experiments (n = 131) examined whether undergraduates use metadata from the document to evaluate the contents and embedded sources included in that document. Participants read two texts about treatments for a rare disease put…

Background: Previous research indicates that students lack sufficient online credibility evaluation skills. However, the results are fragmented and difficult to compare as they are based on different types of measures and indicators. Consequently, there is no clear understanding of the structure of credibility evaluation. Objectives: The present…