Evaluating Information and Critical Thinking

What was a key difference in how college students and history professors evaluated websites compared to professional fact-checkers in the Stanford study?

• College students and professors focused on the website's appearance, while fact-checkers investigated the source's background.

• College students and professors spent more time reading the articles, while fact-checkers quickly skimmed them.

• College students and professors were better at identifying factual claims, while fact-checkers struggled with this.

• College students and professors used search engines more effectively, while fact-checkers relied on internal website links.

When evaluating information online, why is it important to consider who is sharing the information with you?

• To determine if the information is entertaining.

• To understand their potential motivations for sharing it.

• To see if they are popular on social media.

• To check if they have a professional-looking profile.

Which of the following is an example of a factual claim?

• Reading books is the best way to spend your free time.

• The internet is a net positive in our lives.

• The Earth revolves around the Sun.

• This video is very interesting.

After identifying who is behind information and the evidence for their claims, what is the final crucial step in evaluating its accuracy?

• Check if the information is shared by many friends.

• See if the website has a modern design.

• Look for what other reliable sources say about the information.

• Determine if the information makes you feel good.

What are the three main questions to ask when fact-checking information?

• Who created it, what is the evidence, and what do other sources say?

• Is it interesting, is it shareable, and does it make me emotional?

• Is it from a trusted source, is it widely believed, and is it new?

• Does it agree with my opinion, does it make me angry, and is it popular?

Why was the information about plastic straw usage from "Steve S. @steelseller002" considered suspicious?

• He only posted about plastic straws once.

• His profile showed he sells metal products.

• He used too many exclamation marks in his tweet.

• He didn't have many followers on Twitter.

What was discovered about the claim that Americans use 25 plastic straws daily?

• The claim was supported by multiple reliable sources.

• The actual number was much lower, between 0.5 and 1.5 straws per person per day.

• The claim was made by a government agency.

• The claim was based on a survey of plastic straw manufacturers.

What is the difference between being skeptical and being cynical?

• Skepticism means being easily convinced, while cynicism means being distrustful.

• Skepticism improves critical thinking, while cynicism clouds judgment.

• Skepticism applies only to new information, while cynicism applies to old information.

• Skepticism is always negative, while cynicism is always positive.