Determine Validity and Authority of Information

Gwyneth Paltrow Reveals Secret To Her Healthy, Radiant Skin Eating 20 Pounds Of Kielbasa A DayLOS ANGELES—Finally divulging the most sought-after of her many beauty and wellness methods, Gwyneth Paltrow revealed Wednesday that the secret to her healthy, radiant skin was nothing more than her consumption of 20 pounds of kielbasa a day. “There are so many easy changes you can make in your day-to-day routine that make an instant difference in your complexion—and for me, that’s always meant setting aside four or five minutes every morning to wolf down a couple big rings of smoked Polish pork sausage,” the actress-turned-wellness-guru wrote in an editorial featured on her lifestyle website Goop, enhancing the article with a step-by-step skincare guide beginning with frying the sausages in lard alongside bacon and onions, accompanying the treatment with an entire loaf of caraway rye slathered in butter, and concluding with a pore-refining post-sausage cigarette and frosted mug of dark beer. “There are always lot of questions when setting off on a new skincare journey, but it’s important you feel free to make adjustments based on whatever’s right for your skin—explore the different nurturing effects of boiled or baked kielbasa, serving with pore-shrinking sauerkraut, cleansing mustard, or even a pound or two of invigorating egg noodles in a sour cream and chitterling sauce. Just listen to your body.” Paltrow concluded her post with a recommendation that users purchase one of her $80 artisanal pork fat candles, which she claims are specifically molded and dipped for purposes of postprandial meditation.

What is the first clue that you know this article is not true?

Where have you found articles similar to the fact that they are not true?

In a nut shell

READER BEWARE

With the rise in information be shared as quickly as the internet allows, along with the increase of false information, news outlets are no longer worried about being the first with the details. Instead they are working to find the correct information before sharing the details. Based on the article Hard Evidence: how does false information spread online?, "trust in the source of information understandably continues to be one of the most, if not the most important asset a news organisation has".

Another side of media that is sometimes exploited is photography. In this digital age, meme's are used as a sort of political cartoon in order to share a persons thoughts on a topic. Here is an example of one incident that went viral by the "tweaking" of a photo.

Casually Pepper Spray Everything Cop

So why do we have to find out the validity and authority of information??

When assessing for validity and authority, try using this checklist:

Does the speaker have experience or qualifications to speak about the topic?
- Who does the person write for?
- Do they have professional qualifications to address the issue?
Does the information come from a reputable source?
- Primary vs secondary source
Does the source/information state facts, opinions or bias?
Does the source/information represent balanced points of view and perspectives?
Does the source/information meet your research needs?