Untrue narratives presented as real have been reported in many times and places. Jonathan Swift's Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World by Lemuel Gulliver in 1726 and the Great Moon Hoax articles in the New York Sun in 1835 are two historical examples. As the means of communication and persuasion become omnipresent, it is easier for falsehoods to become widespread. This guide will suggest tools to help distinguish the true from the false, fact from fiction. The Monroe Library offers instruction by librarians in evaluating sources and critical thinking, often called information literacy. Here's our guide to evaluating web pages.
These guides will help you distinguish real from fake news. Trained reference librarians are ready to work with you on any research topic. Come by the Learning Commons Desk or schedule an appointment.
These sites all help distinguish fake from real news. Also see the article How to Spot Fake News by Eugene Kiely and Lori Robertson (November 18, 2016). And remember the CRAP test!
The Internet giveth, and the Internet taketh away. Although it's childishly simple to foist fake information on others through the Internet, it can also help determine if text, images or video have been taken out of context or otherwise altered to change their message or context.