Attribution: Oklahoma State University Libraries Inform Your Thinking Series
When evaluating online resources, it's hard to let go of our own biases. However, often Fake News can be used as a tool to keep those biases in check. Learning to look deeper using tools presented in this research guide is the first step. You don't have to agree with everything that you read, but sometimes making the best case you can for a perspective or argument that conflicts with your own beliefs and perceptions will help you make your own arguments better.
Chainsawsuit comic by Kris Straub, from Sept. 16, 2014
Bias: Sources that come from a particular point of view and may rely on propaganda, decontextualized information, and opinions distorted as facts.
Clickbait: Outrageous headlines and stories designed to get readers to click open links to a particular webpage. Also referred to as a strategically placed hyperlink. Often uses exaggeration, questionable headlines, misleading social media descriptions, or fictitious images.
Confirmation Bias: When researchers or students seek out information that only confirms their existing beliefs.
Hoax News: Sources that intentionally fabricate information, disseminate deceptive content, or distort actual news reports.
Parody/Satire: Sources that use humor, irony, exaggeration, ridicule, and false information to comment on current events. While they often use false headlines, they are created to poke fun at current events or people, not to convince readers that the information is true.
Rumor Mill: Sources that focus on rumors, gossip, innuendo, and unverified claims.
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