COMM 1 Burns

Guide to COMM 1 Research

Fact-Checking

Watch this brief (2:32) video on fact-checking strategies.

Finding and Fact-Checking News Sources

How can you verify that news shared with you is real?

Search and Fact-Checking News

• Google News (website) – find at least one article
• U.S. Newsstream (library database -- use Canvas login to access) – find at least one article 

Annotate your news articles by answering questions on the worksheet.  Try using Wikipedia or Allsides to learn about this news organization's reputation online:

• Wikipedia - provides an overview of the news source
• Allsides - places news sources on a left, center, right spectrum
  • Search a story
  • Search a newspaper

Still looking for a topic?  Try Opposing Viewpoints "Browse Issues" list

Complete list of Cabrillo library databases

Use your WebAdvisor/Canvas login to access library resources

Evidence

Review these three sources of evidence for the topic "Why Internet Access Should be a Free Public Service":

1. "Digital divide persists even as Americans with lower incomes make gains in tech adoption" (Pew Research Center)
2. "Connected California Program Launches to Bridge the Digital Divide" (U.S. Newsstream)
3. "Revisiting the Digital Divide in the COVID-19 Era" (Business Source Premier)

Discuss the questions below with your group:

• Who put this source together?  What do they know about the "digital divide"?
• Who is their audience?
• What kind of evidence do they cite? 
• Do you find the evidence they cite persuasive?

Oral Citation:  Authority and Evidence

• Criteria:  What Makes a Good Source?
  • List three reasons why you believe this is an authoritative, credible source.  
  • Pick at least one fact to cite in an oral citation
• Results

Persuasive Speech:  Explore your Topic

Explore your topic using one of these sources

• Opposing Viewpoints  background information on controversial issues. Try the Browse Issues List for topic ideas.
• CQ Researcher  comprehensive reports on controversial issues
• Pew Research Center  polls and statistics on controversial issues

Complete list of Cabrillo library databases

Image "Life in the Age of Algorithms" by Project Information Literacy 

This guide was adapted with permission from Kennesaw State University Library System