Who Are We?
Fact Check! Nothing but the Truth was started by the Lambda Beta Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (the MVCC branch of an international honors society) in answer to our annual Honors in Action Research Project. Every year we Kappans are given a research topic to begin with and a group of themes to select from. This year our topic was To the Seventh Generation - Inheritance and Legacy and our theme we chose was Resistance: Reform, Rebellion, Revolution. So, how did we get from there to here? With a lot of research and discussion, we had come up with many issues that are both relevant and able to advance with time but the one that seemed to be a foundational issue was the spread of mis- and dis-information among both traditional and social media.We’ve all done it, found an interesting article that may or may not be true and reposted it without batting an eye. Yet it’s actions like this that perpetuates the cycle of the colloquial “fake news”. In our research we wanted to know three things: (1) “What makes an individual spread misinformation?”; (2) “How can we combat this in our own lives?”; and (3) “What can we do to educate others on the previous two points?” In answering this question, we learned a lot about behavior psychology (did you know that individuals are likely to still spread alternative facts even after they’re proven wrong if they go against previously held beliefs?) and a few methods to combat this (such as developing a habit of cross-checking information and reappraising plausibility in our own beliefs until it becomes muscle memory) until we came across something that incorporated all three of our questions into one answer - The Pro-Truth Pledge…
What is PTP?
A pledge designed to encourage others to take the lead in fighting deception
- Verify: fact-check information to confirm it is true before accepting and sharing it
- Balance: share the whole truth, even if some aspects do not support my opinion
- Cite: share my sources so that others can verify my information
- Clarify: distinguish between my opinion and the facts
- Acknowledge: acknowledge when others share true information, even when we disagree otherwise
- Reevaluate: reevaluate if my information is challenged, retract it if I cannot verify it
- Defend: defend others when they come under attack for sharing true information, even when we disagree otherwise
- Align: align my opinions and my actions with true information
- Fix: ask people to retract information that reliable sources have disproved even if they are my allies
- Educate: compassionately inform those around me to stop using unreliable sources even if these sources support my opinion
- Defer: recognize the opinions of experts as more likely to be accurate when the facts are disputed
- Celebrate: celebrate those who retract incorrect statements and update their beliefs toward the tru
“Coined by Donald Trump, the term ‘fake news’ is used to describe news stories or even entire networks believed to be spreading false information. Increasingly used by members of government and citizens on both sides of the political spectrum, the term is now a staple in debates regarding freedom of the press, corruption, and media bias. People of all ages now believe that over 60 percent of the news that they see on social media is fake and express similar concern over the accuracy of traditional news sources. While a cynical perspective regarding news and reporting may be positive in terms of holding guilty outlets accountable and ensuring responsible reporting, the fake news phenomenon has extended much farther than pure skepticism. As of 2018, around 35 percent of Republicans and 18 percent of Independents perceived the media to be an enemy of the American people.” (Watson, 2019)
So, where do we go from here?
See Where You Stand:
Implicit Bias - How Do You Rate???
Why did I just take this?
Beginning with yellow journalism, post-truth has been around, notably, since the 1890’s. Yet, it still is prevalent in today’s society. With the expansion of social media, how much of what we share is actually fact-checked, or rather, how often do we repost without questioning the source? And how often do we believe something without any tangible proof? More importantly, why do we do these things? Those are questions we found surprising answers to deep within behavioral psychology - in the realm of cognitive biases and logical fallacies. But, what are these fancy words we’re using? Maybe some pictures would help:
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Did You Know? “A survey conducted in March 2019 assessed if adults in the United States have ever knowingly or unknowingly shared fake news or information online.” ● 10% admitted to knowingly passing on incorrect information ● 49% did not know the information was inaccurate until afterward |
What can we do now?
Glossary
Fact Check! Nothing but the Truth Glossary Flashcards | Quizlet
- We listed a book earlier by Lee McIntyre, here is a video where the author himself talks about what he wrote!
- For your viewing pleasure, here is a list of YouTube videos with the key words “post-truth”: post-truth - YouTube
HAWK PERKS: Are you an MVCC student/faculty member?
Here’s a list of academic resources through our institution’s library that deal with post-truth:
Please note, this is a list of over 1,000 search results, so it might be helpful to use the Subject filter on the left side of the list in order to narrow down to a more manageable and relevant set of results. Some potentially relevant subject terms listed under this filter are: truth, post-truth, social networks, social media, fake news
- The Internet of us : knowing more and understanding less in the age of big data
- “Leading philosopher Michael Patrick Lynch shows how our digital way of life makes us value some ways of processing information over others, and thus risks distorting the greatest traits of mankind.” https://suny-mvc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01SUNY_MVC/1vpf6nv/alma990001596000204842>
- The work of literature in an age of post-truth
- Taking from their experiences, the author discusses the importance in an attention-based study of both literature and culture in order to survive the waves of the Post-Truth world. <https://suny-mvc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01SUNY_MVC/1vpf6nv/alma991680973604842>
- Knowledge: A Very Short Introduction
- This Very Short Introduction explores classical and contemporary epistemology, covering topics from ancient relativism and scepticism to the trustworthiness of internet sources. <https://suny-mvc.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01SUNY_MVC/1vpf6nv/alma990001568280204842>
Verification Methods (with definitions)
Is your source up to date? Should you be looking for a more recent version?
How appropriate is this source? Is it too advanced? Too elementary? Will it give you the information you need/desire?
Who is the author of the source? Are they qualified to be writing on the topic? Is there contact information available for potential questions/debate?
Is the content reliable? Is there any evidence to prove the point? Is there clear bias in the tone? Has it been peer reviewed? Are there obvious editing errors?
Why is the author writing the source? Are there any biases (e.g. political, religious, institutional,etc.)? Has the author made it clear what their intentions are in developing this source? Is it fact? Opinion? Propaganda?
Bedley’s System: After watching one of his students suffer from the spread of misinformation, fifth grade teacher, Scott Bedley, made it his personal mission to teach his students to analyze information . By posing the following questions and/or tests in order to increase surety in the accuracy of the source. Still, he warns that even passing these tests doesn’t guarantee the truth of the source (Bedley, 2017).
Somewhat self-explanatory, has it been “submitted for ownership” (Bedley, 2017).
Bedley compares this to a trial - it’s as important to compare and validate information found on websites as it is to corroborate witness statements.
Bedley says that sites that have been around for longer are often more reliable - or at least have a more comprehensive track record.
The more recent a publication date determines how relevant the information will be.
No one wants a plumber writing their paper on quantum physics. One of the important things to check in a resource is how knowledgeable the author is.
This is when you use a little bit of common sense. Is it saying that Columbus crossed the Pacific despite Europe lining the Atlantic?
This is exaggerated, but sometimes you just need to use your better judgement
IMVAIN - In short, IMVAIN is an acronym that methodically lists steps to ensure the resource you’re using is a reliable one (Stony Brook Center for News Literacy, 2014-2021).[
Independent sources lack the unreliability of sources with other interests
Multiple sources can be compared for validity as opposed to the what-you-see-is-what-you-get attitude of single sources.
Sources who Verify with evidence teach you as opposed to those that only assert. If they can’t back up their evidence, they shouldn’t be trusted.
Authoritative/Informed sources are typified by sources written by experts in the field. They usually have spent more time researching the topic and their background can make a difference in the insights made and given.
Named sources give a better sense of accountability and it can be easier to find out if those sources are authoritative - unlike unnamed sources.
The 4 Lenses: Educator-given proposals that fall into four broad areas (aka, the Lenses) in hopes to teach others about A) the dangers of post-truth; B) How students/teachers/individuals can prepare themselves against inaccurate information; and C) How they can improve their skills and educate others. While their applicability can vary and they should be used together for best results, they are a set of foundational principles to base a strong knowledge of academic research literacy. (Full article: A review of educational responses to the “post-truth” condition: Four lenses on “post-truth” problems (tandfonline.com))[
The list of Lenses is as follows:
a.How can post-truth tendencies develop from an absence of critical researching skills?
i. Inadequacies in educating about scientific thought processes.
b. In what ways can education help resolve this issue?
i. Developing the individual/students’ ability to analyze and appraise a source’s validity
a. How do our biases limit our ability to learn and make judgements in a sound manner?
i. Individuals tend to research only things that back up their biases
b. In what ways can education help resolve this issue?
i. Teaching individuals to cope with the cognitive biases that can often hinder responsible information sharing
a. Why do individuals settle in their quest for the truth?
i. Educators emphasize a more accuracy-based (close to the truth) viewpoint than precision-based (strictly cohesive and consistent) viewpoint.
b. In what ways can education help resolve this issue?
i. Developing and fostering critical thinking skills in which they examine and solve problems and analyze cause and effect and including these skills in their everyday lives.
a. How do alternate ideas on cognitive reasoning set back an individual’s academic literacy?
i. Systems of learning and knowing are thought to be given and under-explained and reflections of the when differing ideologies can enhance and when they can hinder the sharing of truth.
b. In what ways can education help resolve this issue?
i. Encouraging the open-mind in discussing thoughts not to convince the other of the merits of their own thought, but to enhance both debator’s fields of knowledge.
SCONUL Seven Pillars of Information Literacy: In this method, each pillar is considered a skill of information literacy that an individual can not only learn, but improve until it is muscle memory - but the skill level can vary as information technology advances. Each pillar or skill defines objectives not only in comprehension but the mental attitudes behind each skill. Taking a circular approach, this method takes into account that improving one’s information literacy is not a linear process (Society of College, National and University Libraries (SCONUL) Working Group on Information Literacy, 2011)
Defining Information Literacy - Information Literacy Demystified - Library Guides at CQUniversity